Thieves Cause Power Outage in 3 Cities After Stealing Key Grid Equipment Worth Millions

Thieves caused power outages in Jamshoro, Matiari, and Dadu after stealing millions of rupees worth of brace plates from high-tension power lines owned by the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). FIRs filed by NTDC officials revealed the theft of over 960 brace plates, thousands of nut bolts, and conductors from transmission towers, including an under-construction 500-kV line. Six suspects have been identified but no arrests have been made so far. The stolen items are valued at up to Rs. 2 million and authorities have yet to implement effective measures to prevent these incidents. Despite private security, such thefts are frequent. Over 30 similar cases have been reported in Jamshoro alone. The provincial government has so far failed to devise an effective plan to prevent such incidents.