PESHAWAR: As part of the ongoing campaign against electricity thieves, joint raiding parties of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and FIA have arrested 14 people and recovered over Rs300,000 from them.

Pesco spokesman Shaukat Afzal said in a statement here on Thursday that as result of the raids conducted during the past three days FIRs were registered against those involved in power theft. He said that agreements had also been signed in the past, but the consumers rarely met their commitments. He said that the action would continue for recovery and against power theft.

During the campaign, Pesco`s checking teams with the help of police nabbed 14 more persons using direct hooks. The raids were conducted in the localities of Shaheedabad, Faqirabad, Pajjagi Road and Tehkal Payan.

Rs320,000 was also recovered from the defaulters during the campaign.

Those arrested were identified as Rehmat Khan, Azad Gul, Islam, Irfan, Nawab Gul, Abdullah Shah, Gul Akhtar, Imran, Shafiq, Tahir Khan, Khairun Nabbi, Eain Khan, Ibrahim, Khan Wali and Faridullah.

In another raid at FM-94 Delber Radio at Shah Mansoor, Swabi, the FIA and Pesco team found direct connection in the premises.

An FIR was lodged in the police station concerned against the relevant manager Mubarak Jan and its owner Akhtar Hussain.

The manager was arrested on the spot.

The Pesco has warned the consumers to stop power pilferage which was causing a huge financial loss to the company besides putting additional load on the entire power distribution system.-Bureau Report