ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Omer Ayub Khan on Friday said as many as 10,000 people will be hired in power distribution companies through a transparent process to overcome the shortage of meter readers and technical staff required to stop electricity theft and generate revenue.

Responding to MNA Mussarat Rafiq Mahesar during question hour in the National Assembly, he said the new staff would be hired through advertisements and in a transparent manner to improve the functioning of the electricity distribution companies.

The Power Division had given clear directions to all power distribution companies to ensure accurate billing and to avoid overcharging the consumers, he added.

However, he said wherever there were individual incidents reported and electricity consumers had been overcharged, the consumers should write to the relevant offices for redressal of their complaints.

For years, vacancies of meter readers and technical staff were not filled due to which there was a shortage of staff that led to complaints of overbilling and fictitious meter readings, said the minister.

Omer Ayub Khan said the financial position in the power sector would be improved with the use of technology, better availability of human resources and through administrative measures.

About 250 officials in power companies were terminated, 8,000 first information reports were filed and 1,250 officials were sent to jail after filing of FIRs on charges of power theft and other crimes, he added.

The minister said consumers received theft detection bills when the electricity meters were tempered, however, if any person thought that he wrongly gave the detection bill he could write to the chief executive of the distribution company.