ISLAMABAD - The government has once again sought the help of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for recovering power sector dues from the public as well as private sector.
Following the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resolve the issue regarding recovery of outstanding electricity bills, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday chaired a high level meeting, asking NAB to resume the recovery exercise on fast track basis.
The previous government of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also authorized NAB to recover the power dues in early 2013. However, the NAB, normally handling a number of high-profile corruption cases, had failed to produce satisfactory results by recovering dues from the customers. Later, the incumbent government of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) had given the task of recovering dues to the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) after assuming the charge in June 2013. However, the FIA also did not produce satisfactory result.   
The finance minister asked Chairman NAB Ch. Qamar Zaman and Secretary Water & Power Younus Dhaga to devise a well coordinated strategy for recovery of all outstanding bills in the minimum possible time. The Discos would provide all relevant details to NAB through the Ministry of Water and Power. The minister said instead of outsourcing recovery of bills to private companies, it was better to utilize the services of a well-established organization like NAB.
The meeting observed that billions of rupees of electricity bills were unpaid to date, placing the national economy under tremendous strain. Both private as well as public sector entities and domestic consumers were among the defaulters. This situation could not be allowed to go on any further, the meeting agreed. Chairman NAB, Ch. Qamar Zaman, Secretary Finance, Dr. Waqar Masood, Secretary Water and Power, Younus Dhaga, Advisor Finance Division, Rana Asad Amin and other senior officials attended the meeting.