Officials of the LESCO have started receiving electricity bills after the withdrawal of the long-standing free electricity units facility. The change marks the end of a benefit that had been available to officers of the power distribution company for nearly three decades.
For the first time in around 30 years, LESCO officials are paying for the electricity consumed at their homes. Several employees say the move has significantly increased their monthly expenses, with some claiming that electricity bills now consume nearly half of their salaries.
Previously, officers in different grades were entitled to annual quotas of free electricity units. According to company sources, Grade-18 officers received up to 6,000 free units each year, while Grade-19 officers were allocated 8,000 units annually. Grade-20 officers were eligible for 10,000 free electricity units every year.
The withdrawal of the facility has changed the financial situation for many employees. Officials say they are now responsible for paying the full cost of their household electricity consumption like other consumers.
Sources within LESCO said that some other electricity distribution companies have managed to restore the free units facility through court orders. According to the sources, those companies obtained restraining orders that allowed the continuation of the benefit for their employees.
However, LESCO officials believe the issue should be addressed through a uniform national policy rather than separate legal decisions.
Several officers have argued that restoring the facility for only a few organizations would be unfair. They have called on the government to ensure that the same policy is applied across all public sector institutions.
The officials also said that employment benefits and allowances should already be reflected in salary packages. They believe additional perks, including free electricity units, should be reviewed under a single policy framework instead of being handled differently by individual departments.
Employees have urged the Ministry of Energy to introduce a clear and consistent policy regarding free electricity units. They say a nationwide decision would remove uncertainty and ensure equal treatment for workers across all state-owned power companies.
The development has sparked discussion among employees about compensation and workplace benefits. Some officials believe the withdrawal of free units is a difficult adjustment, while others argue that a transparent and standardized policy would be a better long-term solution.
The issue also highlights the broader debate over employee benefits in Pakistan’s public sector. Government departments and state-owned organizations have different benefit structures, leading to calls for greater consistency in compensation policies.
For now, LESCO officials will continue paying their electricity bills after the end of the free units facility. Whether similar policies will be implemented across other power distribution companies remains uncertain and will likely depend on future government decisions and legal proceedings.
In other news read more about: Gas Supply Continues Normally Across Pakistan, Government Clarifies
Employees say they are waiting for further guidance from the Ministry of Energy regarding a unified policy that could clarify the future of electricity-related benefits for workers in the country’s power sector.
