KARACHI: During the first two weeks of August, K-Electric (KE) removed 5,384 illegal connections as part of its 762 anti-power theft drives across the city.
The kunda-removal drives were carried out in areas including Surjani, New Karachi, Gulistan-e-Johar, Orangi, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Bin Qasim, and Malir.
Technicians of the company unhooked illegal wires weighing over 5,700 kilograms that were illegally connected to KE’s infrastructure and were being used to steal electricity worth millions.
KE’s spokesperson Imran Rana said that people who use illegal connections not only commit theft and break the law, but also put the others’ lives in danger.
He said that even though the company takes immediate action against kundas, the illegal connections are restored within a few hours of removal.
Rana shared that the company will deal with such “miscreants” with iron hands and warned of strict punishment.
“Any act of stealing electricity can lead to the penalty of Rs10 million and imprisonment up to three years,” he cautioned.
“Any tampering with the network by an unauthorised person can lead up to serious consequences, including fatalities,” Rana said, adding that kundas weigh down and damage electrical utility wires, which make them prone to short-circuiting, fire-eruption, and lead to faults in power supply system further causing inconvenience to consumers.
