KABUL - Civilians, half of government institutions and officials owe three billion and 300 millions afghanis to Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) in unpaid electricity bills, an official said on Monday.
DABS spokesman Wahidullah Tawhidi told a press conference here that several government departments owed 600 million afs in arrears to the power utility and a number of government officials and civilians had to pay 700 million afs to DABS in outstanding bills. He said the
“According to the presidential order, defaulters’ names are being disclosed and if they fail to pay electricity dues in a month, then they will be referred to the Attorney General’s Office.”
Tawhidi unveiled a list of 73 individuals to media outlets owing more than 100,000 afs to DABS.
The list included names of Gen. Abdul Rasheed Dostum, the 1st vice president, Abdul Kareem Khalili, former 2nd vice president, Lalai Hamidzai, Wakeel Nasir, Abdul Raheem Abyoubi, Wolesi Jirga representatives, Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf’s sons, who had failed to clear their outstanding
According to DABS, Gen. Dostum owes 71 million afs and Sayyaf sons’ office and home electricity arrears are more than three million afs and Karim Khalili owes 700 million afs, Hamidzai Lalai one million afs, Wakeel Nasir, a Wolesi Jirga member, 300,000 afs and Abdul Rahim Ayoubi, another member of the assembly, owes 254,000 afs to DABS.
Tawhidi said government institutions should pay their unpaid power bills from their budget in accordance with President Ashraf Ghani’s order, if not their next year’s budget would be approved according to the government’s decision.
Muhibur-rahman Momand, DABS head for Kabul, who attended the gathering, said total figures of government departments reached one billion and 600 million afs, commercial institutions owed more than 785 million afs and public owed 947 afs to the power utility.  
Tawhidi said over the past two years electricity connections to residences of people who failed to pay their power tariffs had been cut off, forcing 65 percent of them to pay their dues; but the remaining with support from within the government forcibly re-connected their power lines.
Tawhidi said the power utility was busy preparing lists of defaulters in provinces and their names would be disclosed to the media by next week. (Pajhwok)