The city of Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, achieved a significant milestone this Wednesday when it was declared a loadshedding-free city as part of the “Zero-Theft, Zero-Loadshedding” initiative introduced by the Power Division.
Mardan, which previously suffered from power outages lasting over six hours a day, became the first city in Pakistan to completely eliminate power theft.
Rashid Langrial, the Secretary of the Power Division, unveiled “The Mardan Model” in Islamabad, marking the end of loadshedding in the city. This achievement is credited to the successful elimination of power theft and significant improvements in revenue collection. Langrial emphasized that a nationwide campaign against power theft is ongoing, with the ultimate goal of ending loadshedding once all electrical feeders are free from theft.
Langrial also highlighted that power theft involves the involvement of Distribution Companies (DISCOs) employees. In the anti-theft campaign, employees found engaged in power theft are being apprehended.
Mardan, located around 50 kilometers from the provincial capital, had one of the highest power loss rates, about 56%. However, with the collaborative efforts of various departments, these losses have been reduced to less than 8% within two months, completely eradicating power theft, according to ministry officials.
