KESC's bullying tactics

This is one of those things that can happen only in Pakistan. A few years ago, the Karachi Electric Supply Corp. replaced the old meters with new fast running meters which consistently show thirty percent more than the actual consumption. Even the then M.D. of the company admitted at the time that the meters were showing more consumption. No amount of pleading had any effect and the poor hapless citizens of Karachi have to go on paying more than they should. Contrast this with most other cities in Pakistan where the meters are rigged to show only a third of the actual consumption and the consumers lead happy, contented lives, knowing that they will never be punished for this. In the rural areas, of course, where most of our law-makers originate, the meters hardly run at all, and they have been exempted paying their power bills for an indefinite period, owing to the recent floods (which are supposed to have caused a lot of damage, but which in fact have proved a bonanza for them, as all their billion-rupee loans will be written off).
A friend of mine, recently retired, embarked upon an energy conservation spree, not because he cares so much for the environment, but because he doesn't have any income any more and has to pay out of his savings. With a great deal of effort, he managed to reduce his electric consumption by half. Much to his consternation, the KESC charged him with rigging his meter and stealing electricity. The poor chap now has a tough time ahead, trying to convince whoever will listen that the reduced consumption is not due to electricity theft. But this being Pakistan, I doubt if he'll succeed.