Pakistan moves to split LESCO and MEPCO before privatization

The Ministry of Privatization in Pakistan has set up a technical committee to study whether the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) should be divided into smaller distribution firms before they are sold to private investors. The panel, which includes representatives from the Privatization Commission, the Power Division, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and the Power Planning & Monitoring Company (PPMC), will assess operational, financial and strategic impacts and check alignment with the National Electricity Plan and the country’s power policy.

Both utilities have been flagged for high electricity theft, large transmission and distribution losses and weak bill‑recovery rates. MEPCO, the largest distributor in southern Punjab, serves about 8.8 million customers across 13 districts, while LESCO supplies roughly 7 million consumers in Lahore and surrounding districts. The review aims to make the companies more attractive to investors by improving their structure and performance.

In parallel, LESCO has launched a nationwide recruitment drive, inviting applications for numerous technical, engineering, administrative, finance, IT, legal and management positions. The hiring process is merit‑based and seeks to strengthen the workforce needed to modernise the power‑distribution network and improve service quality for millions of users.