ISLAMABAD: The government will replace all conventional electricity meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) smart meters by December 2026 to curb power theft and improve real-time monitoring of the distribution network, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatisation was informed on Wednesday.
Briefing the committee, chaired by Farooq Sattar, Additional Secretary Power Division Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah said that 1.5 million AMI meters have already been installed—one million in Islamabad and 500,000 across other regions. He noted that AMI meters, combined with the Asset Performance Management System (APMS), have helped reduce power losses by 2%.
Shah said AMI meters will improve theft detection and billing accuracy, while APMS will enable real-time surveillance of transformers and feeders, helping optimise load management. The committee directed the Power Division to submit an area-wise breakdown of the installed meters.
On the privatization front, Shah said the government has extended the timeline for privatising electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) from December 2025 to March–April 2026. IESCO, GEPCO, and FESCO will be the first three companies taken to market.
Committee members voiced concerns over severe load-shedding, particularly in Peshawar—where outages reportedly reach 22 hours—and in Karachi, where consumers face 12–18 hours of cuts. Shah maintained that 8,723 of 11,657 feeders are load-shedding-free, while high-loss areas continue to experience up to eight hours of scheduled outages.
In a separate briefing, Privatization Secretary Hammad Shamimi updated the panel on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), confirming that the bidding process will begin in mid-December. Four bidders—Lucky Cement Consortium, Arif Habib Corporation Consortium, Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited, and Airblue Limited—have been pre-qualified. The reference price will be submitted to the federal cabinet for approval.
Shamimi said negotiations over commercial terms are ongoing, and a key meeting on the national carrier’s privatization was held with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on November 15. The committee sought a detailed bidding timeline for the next meeting and stressed safeguarding PIA employees’ job security, pensions, and benefits.
Sattar hinted that the reserve price for PIA may be set below Rs85 billion but reiterated that privatization must fully protect employee rights.
On Roosevelt Hotel, Shamimi said the government has approved a joint venture model, endorsed by the Cabinet Committee on Privatization in July 2025. A new financial advisor is being appointed, with seven firms submitting proposals.
The committee also reviewed the status of outstanding dues for Utility Stores employees, with Shamimi confirming that all payments had been cleared. “The matter stands resolved,” Chairman Sattar affirmed.
Story by Naveed Butt
