DISCOs told to stick to Nepra timelines

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD: The government has directed all power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to strictly adhere to the timelines prescribed by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for resolution of consumer complaints, warning that action would be taken against officials responsible for delays.

The direction was issued by Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari while chairing a review meeting on the performance of Helpline 118 Customer Care Service here on Thursday.

The meeting reviewed the DISCO-wise performance of all distribution companies, including complaints registered through Helpline 118, their timely resolution and cases resolved beyond the prescribed timeframe.

The meeting was informed that approximately 1.64 million complaints were registered through Helpline 118 during August 2026, of which 99.18 percent were resolved.

Of the resolved complaints, 94.95 percent were addressed within the prescribed timeframe, while 5.05 percent were resolved after the stipulated period.

The minister directed the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of all DISCOs to continuously monitor the resolution of consumer complaints and ensure action against officials failing to resolve complaints within the prescribed timeframe.

The CEO of Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) informed the meeting that show-cause notices had already been issued to 38 Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) for negligence in ensuring timely resolution of complaints.

The meeting also reviewed complaints relating to power outages, line faults and voltage issues, which collectively accounted for around 77 percent of total complaints received through Helpline 118.

The minister directed the DISCOs to accord particular attention to these critical complaints and improves their timely resolution.

Helpline 118 provides consumers with a free and direct channel to register electricity-related complaints without involving any intermediary or representative. The service allows consumers to lodge complaints in seven languages, track the progress of their complaints and receive feedback after resolution.

The system also provides for automatic escalation of complaints to the relevant level where they are not resolved within the prescribed timeframe.

Sardar Awais Leghari said Helpline 118 should be developed into an effective, transparent and reliable platform for electricity consumers, enabling more people to register complaints directly, track their progress and ensure their timely resolution.

He further stated that options for making the existing DISCO performance monitoring and accountability system more effective would be reviewed to ensure that necessary improvements in customer services are delivered in a timely manner.