Federal Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, has issued strict directives to all Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across Pakistan to initiate immediate disciplinary proceedings against their worst-performing Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) and Executive Engineers (XENs).
According to an official report today, acting swiftly on the minister”s directive, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) have become the first DISCOs to initiate immediate disciplinary action, including suspension, against their worst-performing officers for failing to resolve consumer complaints registered through the national 118 Call Centre System (CCMS Plus). All remaining DISCOs across Pakistan are in the process of initiating similar action against their respective worst-performing officers.
The minister”s directive followed his personal and comprehensive review of complaint-handling performance data extracted from the Customer Complaint Management System (CCMS Plus), Pakistan”s national 118 call centre, covering the period from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. The data, encompassing complaints related to power outages, voltage fluctuations, line faults, and transformer tripping, revealed a deeply alarming pattern of neglect. Tens of thousands of consumer complaints registered during the review period were either resolved late or left unattended beyond the stipulated resolution periods, directly resulting in prolonged electricity disruptions for citizens across urban and rural areas alike. The Power Division identified the worst-performing officers in each DISCO based on complaints resolved late within their respective jurisdictions and formally communicated these lists to the chief executives of all DISCOs for immediate departmental action.
Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari expressed grave disappointment over the failure of the identified officers to fulfil their primary duty of ensuring the timely redressal of consumer complaints. He stated that the 118 call centre platform had been established specifically to bridge the gap between citizens and electricity service providers and that any officer treating the system with indifference was directly undermining the government”s commitment to consumer welfare. He directed that disciplinary proceedings, including suspension where warranted, be initiated against all identified officers without delay and concluded in a time-bound manner under the applicable service rules.
PESCO has suspended three SDOs and one XEN with immediate effect on charges of misconduct, citing failure to meet prescribed performance targets as reflected in CCMS data. The suspended SDOs, presently serving in the Gulberg, Shahi Bagh, and Sethi Town/Dalazak sub-divisions under Peshawar Circle, have been attached to the General Manager (Operations), PESCO Headquarters, for regular attendance. The suspended XEN, posted in Mardan-I Division, has been attached to the Superintending Engineer (Operations), Mardan Circle. Additionally, the XEN (Operations), Swabi-I Division, has been placed under suspension on charges of misconduct and attached to the Superintending Engineer (Operations), Peshawar Circle. These orders have been issued with the approval of the Competent Authority/CEO, PESCO.
SEPCO has suspended one SDO and one former XEN with immediate effect on charges of misconduct after being identified as among the worst performers in the resolution of complaints registered through the 118 system. Mr Sajjad Ali Memon, SDO Operations, Rohri Sub-Division, and Mr Mairajuddin Shaikh, the then Executive Engineer (Operations), Sukkur Division, who is currently serving as Executive Engineer, Construction Division, Sukkur, have both been attached to SEPCO Headquarters for attendance. These orders have been issued with the approval of the CEO, SEPCO.
The accountability drive is not limited to PESCO and SEPCO. All other DISCOs, including LESCO, GEPCO, FESCO, IESCO, MEPCO, HAZECO, HESCO, QESCO, and TESCO, are in the process of initiating disciplinary proceedings against their respective worst-performing officers identified through CCMS Plus data. Across these DISCOs, more than 100 SDOs and XENs have been identified as poor performers and are facing imminent departmental action, including show-cause notices, suspension, and transfer to non-operational postings.
The minister further directed all DISCOs to implement an enhanced weekly monitoring mechanism to track complaint-resolution rates at both the sub-divisional and divisional levels. Officers who continue to demonstrate consistent failure in complaint management will face escalated action, including suspension, transfer to non-operational postings, and compulsory retirement. The Power Division has also announced that the performance rankings of all SDOs and XENs will be published quarterly and made available to the public, reinforcing the government”s commitment to transparency and accountability in the power sector.
Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari reiterated that the present government is fully and unequivocally committed to ensuring that every electricity consumer in Pakistan receives the timely, reliable, and respectful service to which they are entitled. He emphasized that poor performance by field officers is not merely an administrative failure; it is a failure toward the citizens of Pakistan, and the government will not allow it to continue. He made it clear that officers found guilty of continued negligence would face escalated disciplinary action, including suspension, transfer to non-sensitive postings, and compulsory retirement where warranted. The Power Division remains resolute in its mission to transform Pakistan”s power distribution sector into a truly performance-driven, consumer-centric system, where every complaint is treated as a priority and every consumer”s right to timely service is upheld without compromise.
The Government of Pakistan, through ongoing digitization and governance reforms in the power sector, is actively monitoring and scrutinizing the operational efficiency of all Distribution Companies (DISCOs). As part of the relaunch and strengthening of the 118 CCMS (Customer Complaint Management System), a comprehensive digital database of consumer complaints is now being maintained, enabling real-time tracking of complaint types, resolution timelines, and compliance with service standards. The system records detailed information on the nature of faults, resolution timeframes, and any mishandling of complaints at the sub-division and division levels. This reform has significantly enhanced the government”s ability to objectively assess the performance of field formations and evaluate the efficiency of human resources deployed across DISCOs.