Defence Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that employees of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) charged villagers Rs80,000 to repair a damaged transformer but failed to provide any official receipt for the payment.

In a post on X late on Saturday, he said a transformer in the village of his domestic worker burned out, leaving residents without electricity.

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The defence minister said he contacted a former LESCO chief executive officer and requested assistance in resolving the issue. According to Asif, LESCO employees subsequently repaired the transformer and collected Rs80,000 from villagers, who pooled the amount through community contributions.

“Nobody issued a receipt for the payment,” he stated, alleging that the utility staff refused to provide any documentation despite receiving the money.

Asif said the incident raised concerns about accountability within the power utility. “This is the situation where even a former power minister and a serving member of the federal cabinet cannot prevent such practices despite making a recommendation,” he said.

“You can imagine the plight of an ordinary consumer,” he said. Asif maintained that the payment had been made in full and reiterated that LESCO officials had declined to issue a receipt.

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LESCO is a state-owned public utility responsible for the distribution and supply of electricity to millions of consumers across central Punjab, including Lahore and surrounding districts.

It operates under the administrative control of the federal government through the Energy Ministry (Power Division), headed by Asif’s fellow cabinet member, Power Minister Awais Leghari.

Earlier this month, residents of Lahore complained against LESCO over unannounced power outages, with repeated complaints to the utility reportedly receiving little response.

Despite the prolonged outages, residents said electricity bills continued to rise. “The bills keep increasing every month, but the electricity disappears without warning,” said a resident of Sabzazar, adding that his household was struggling to cope in the intense heat. “We are paying for a service we’re not even getting,” he lamented.