Pakistan Railways Hit by Rs110 Million Power Bill Fraud

A major financial scandal has been uncovered in Pakistan Railways after an internal inquiry confirmed that more than Rs110 million was paid in bogus electricity bills. According to the inquiry report, fraudulent payments were made in 2023 against fake residential allotments and inflated billing.
Investigators found that LESCO issued consolidated electricity bills for three Railway colonies despite having individual meters installed in each quarter. These collective bills included excessive fixed charges and unexplained adjustments, resulting in massive overbilling.The Railway Workshops Division’s Electrical Department paid these bills without verification. Officials responsible for reviewing consumption data allegedly cleared payments without checking meter readings.The report held the Divisional Electrical Engineer Works, Senior Electrical Engineer Workshops, and a wireman negligent, noting they had remained in the same posts for years despite a required rotation policy. The Vigilance Directorate has recommended strict departmental action and immediate enforcement of staff rotation to prevent future fraud.