LAHORE: In a major development, the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on Saturday sought transfer of all executive engineers (EXENs) and sub-divisional officers (SDOs) out of the district from their present place of positing in all the distribution companies (Discos).

The reason for these directions, according to an official source, is to stop possibility of influence the EXENs and SDOs on the consumers to vote for certain political parties in the election.

“All chief executive officers are directed to prepare a posting/transfer plan for all EXENs and SDOs, in their respective Discos, out of their present district of posting, except those officers whose presence at the present posting is critically essential for which the CEOs will have to provide convincing technical justification,” reads a letter issued by the power division.

“The Pakistan Electric Power Company’s GM is also directed to ensure that these positing plans are in proper shape and get delivered to this division by July 1, 2018,” it adds. The letter has been received to the CEOs of all Discos — Faisalabad Electric Supply Company, Lahore Electric Supply Company, Multan Electric Power Company, Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Gujranwala Electric Power Company, Peshawar Electric Supply Company, Tribal Area Electric Supply Company, Quetta Electric Supply Company, Sukkur Electric Power Company and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company.

As all the Discos, on the direction of the Pepco (power division), had earlier made a massive reshuffle about two months back due to promotion of several officers to the rank of SDOs, EXENs and Superintending Engineers (SEs), the Saturday’s order of the ministry has created unrest among all officers.

“Just two months earlier, there was a massive reshuffle in all the Discos. Resultantly, many officers (SEs, EXENs, SDOs) were transferred to other districts from their places of posting. On the pretext of the election, the fresh order of the ministry would hamper the power distribution and supply activities in all areas since the officers, who would be transferred, would have no idea about the new place of posting,” complained a senior Lesco official while talking to Dawn on anonymity request.

Another senior official termed the decision stupidity on the part of Pepco.

“The Pepco administration had already destroyed the power transmission and distribution system through several wrong decisions. If the transfer of EXENs, SDOs etc is necessary, the caretaker government should also transfer the senior officials holding key slots in Pepco since long,” he added.

On the other hand, Pepco has also reportedly taken notice of the public complaints related to delayed power restoration in many areas of Discos, directing the CEOs including chief of Lesco, to penalise those showing negligence towards performance of their work.

According to an official source, the Lesco CEO also issued show-cause notices to Allama Iqbal Town, McLeod Road and Kasur EXENs and Lahore Circle-I superintending engineer (SE).

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2018