Multan Police Charge Javed Hashmi and Three Sons‑in‑Law with Electricity Theft

LAHORE, Pakistan – Multan police have filed four cases against veteran politician Javed Hashmi and his three sons‑in‑law on allegations of electricity theft, according to reports on Saturday.

The four first‑information reports (FIRs) were registered at Multan’s Makhdoom Rasheed Police Station on July 17 under Section 462J of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which criminalises interference with, improper use of, or tampering with electric meters by domestic consumers.

Separate FIRs were lodged against Hashmi and his three sons‑in‑law – Shahid Bahar, Zahid and Shahzeb – whose names were listed as the registered owners of the electricity meters involved.

According to the FIRs, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the complaints were filed at the request of Multan Electric Power Company Limited’s (Mepco’s) Sub‑Divisional Officer (SDO) Mohammad Bilal.

The complaints, which were worded almost identically, alleged that Mepco’s inspection team discovered a consumer “stealing electricity by inserting a loop in the terminal of the company’s power meter”.

The four electricity meters, whose serial numbers were documented in the FIRs, were seized by Mepco.

The FIR filed against Hashmi alleged that the power theft caused losses of Rs249,100 to Mepco.

Additional FIRs stated that Mepco suffered financial losses of Rs248,400 due to Shahid Bahar’s actions, Rs245,600 linked to Zahid’s meter, and Rs247,600 attributed to Shahzeb’s power theft.

Javed Hashmi’s grandson, Qasim, told Dawn that none of the family members have been arrested so far.

On July 18, Hashmi posted on X confirming that he and his sons‑in‑law have been charged in the case.

“They can arrest me; I would not even seek bail,” he wrote, describing the cases as “allegations”.

“I am sitting in my house; come and arrest me. I will neither hide nor flee,” he added.

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