Every Power Distribution Company in Pakistan Is About to Get Audited — Here's the Plan

The government has decided to conduct a technical audit of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) to assess power theft and system losses, following a meeting of the committee on inefficiencies and electricity theft in DISCOs, co-chaired by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema and Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari.

What the Audit Will Actually Cover

Cheema stressed the audit must include a comprehensive diagnostic analysis of the root causes behind power theft and losses, producing credible and actionable findings rather than a surface-level review.

Why It Matters

Cheema said these findings would enable the government to take targeted, evidence-based measures to reduce theft and distribution losses going forward — moving from general policy statements to specific, data-backed fixes.

A Timeline Already Set

The Terms of Reference for the audit will be finalised by next week, giving this initiative a concrete starting point rather than an open-ended commitment.

The Bottom Line

With ministers demanding root-cause analysis rather than another surface report, and a one-week deadline already set for the audit's terms, this technical audit is positioned to actually inform policy — the real test will be whether its findings translate into measurable reductions in theft and losses.