For the first time in three decades, Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) officers in grades 18 to 20 are paying full price for their power bills following the absolute withdrawal of free electricity privileges.
The sudden policy enforcement has significantly impacted internal finances, with reports confirming that the newly issued utility bills have immediately consumed up to half of the monthly salaries for several officials.
The structural shift completely dismantles a long-standing perks system. Previously, grade 18 officers were allocated 6,000 free units annually, while grade 19 and grade 20 officials received 8,000 and 10,000 units per year, respectively.
All power consumption across these brackets is now calculated under the identical, high-tariff rates levied on ordinary domestic citizens.
While the federal directive originally targeted senior management across all power distribution companies (Discos) nationwide, Lesco currently stands isolated in its enforcement.
Other regional distribution firms successfully bypassed the cutbacks by securing restraining orders from the courts, effectively restoring the free unit facility for their own staff.
The disparity has triggered severe internal friction. Responding to the unilateral enforcement, affected Lesco officers have demanded a complete, nationwide elimination of utility perks across every state institution to ensure equity.
“The Ministry of Energy should announce a uniform policy for all companies,” the officers stated, adding that selective exemptions create disparity and place an unfair burden on consumers who already face high tariffs and outages.
Energy sector analysts indicate that ending elite power quotas is a critical operational step required to minimize the country’s compounding circular debt and introduce transparency into a struggling power infrastructure.
With Lesco executing the billing transition independently, the regulatory focus shifts to the Ministry of Energy regarding whether it will enforce a centralized, nationwide mandate to override the court stays obtained by other Discos.
