By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: K-Electric has conducted a major operation in the Jalalaabad neighborhood of Nazimabad, exposing what officials described as a large and organized underground network used for electricity theft. According to the power utility, the raid led to the seizure of more than three thousand kilograms of underground cables that had been laid covertly to siphon electricity from the system without detection.
A company spokesperson said the cables formed part of an extensive setup designed to bypass the official supply network, contributing significantly to commercial and technical losses. The operation followed internal assessments showing that the utility had suffered an annual loss of roughly 200,000 units of electricity in the area due to theft, while unpaid bills had accumulated to more than two billion rupees. Officials said such losses ultimately burden paying consumers and strain the overall power distribution system.
The raid was carried out in coordination with law enforcement agencies, who provided support to dismantle the illegal infrastructure and ensure the safety of K-Electric teams working in the area. The spokesperson said the utility would continue similar operations in other high-loss zones, stressing that electricity theft not only undermined the company’s ability to provide reliable power but also posed serious risks to public safety due to hazardous, unregulated wiring.
K-Electric officials added that the discovery of the underground network underscored the scale of the challenge they faced in curbing illegal connections. They reiterated calls for community cooperation and stricter enforcement to protect the interests of legitimate consumers and stabilize the city’s power system.
