KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) has intensified its crackdown on electricity theft in Karachi’s Saddar area, removing more than 1,300 illegal connections through 38 anti-theft drives conducted since the beginning of the year. The confiscated “kundas” weighed over 1,700 kilograms, and the initiative has saved around 1.45 million units of electricity, significantly reducing the area’s loss profile.
According to KE, these measures have enabled the utility to keep 88 out of 100 feeders in Saddar completely load-shedding free, supplying uninterrupted electricity to key commercial and administrative hubs including Cantt Station, Civil Lines, Saddar Bazar, Bolton Market, II Chundrigar Road, the Governor House vicinity, and Shahrah-e-Faisal.
In parallel, KE has organised 56 customer facilitation camps, including mini-camps, to help residents clear outstanding bills, resolve complaints, and shift to legal power connections.
“Such drives are critical not only to reduce losses but also to safeguard the community. Illegal connections bypass safety protocols, creating fire and electrocution hazards, particularly during the monsoon season,” said Khurram Abdullah, KE’s Head of Distribution Operations.
Despite progress, challenges persist in high-loss areas such as Bizerta Lines, Hijrat Colony, Railway Colony, and Sultanabad, where theft and unpaid bills have accumulated to PKR 1.1 billion. KE noted that recovery from these localities remains essential to extend a load-shedding-free environment across Saddar.
