Digital app approved for electricity meter reading

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved to abolish the role of meter readers from electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) across the country. For this purpose, a new digital app ‘Apna Meter, Apni Reading’ will be introduced soon.

According to media reports, consumers will be able to upload their own electricity readings through the app. This system will be implemented throughout the country except for the jurisdiction of K-Electric.

In the current system, meter readers take pictures of consumers’ electricity meters and send them to the DISCOs, based on which the bill is prepared, but this system is fraught with overbilling and complaints. Many consumers are unhappy with expensive bills and have been raising questions about the accuracy of the readings. On June 17, 2025, an important meeting chaired by the Prime Minister considered this issue, in which issues related to abolishing the role of meter readers and automating the billing process were discussed.

The Prime Minister directed the Power Division to introduce the ‘Power Smart Mobile App’ as soon as possible, which will have guidance in four regional languages ​​, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, and Balochi, along with the national language, Urdu, so that the general public can also use it easily. The soft launch of the app should be done immediately so that any initial technical issues can be resolved and the app can be fully functional and stable before the full national launch.

Shehbaz Sharif has given the Power Division a month to prepare a comprehensive plan for the phased elimination of meter readers. For the success of this initiative, a comprehensive media campaign is being prepared in collaboration with the Power Division and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which aims to make consumers aware of the benefits of self-reading. The government has allocated Rs316 million for this national campaign.

The Power Information Technology Company (PITC) has directed all the DISCOs to prepare an awareness campaign at their own level as well. In addition, a comprehensive ‘Terms of Reference (ToR)’ has also been prepared, which clarifies the scope, objectives, methodology, and responsibilities of PITC and MAPCO for the campaign, including media planning, vendor liaison, field activation, monitoring, and reporting.

The DISCOs have sought guidance from the PITC CEO on how the media campaign expenses should be borne. Whether this amount should be deducted from their bills or PITC will provide promotional materials (banners, standees, boards). It has also been suggested that efforts should be made to get free time for public announcements in electronic media.

The DISCOs have emphasized that PITC should thoroughly test and validate applications such as ‘Power Smart App’, ‘Apna Meter Apni Reading’, ‘CCMS+’, and ‘Lineman Mobile Solution’ before launch to avoid technical issues and provide a better and more reliable experience to the customers.

It is also reported that PITC will ensure high performance, trust, and transparency across all platforms during the campaign, and all government requirements will be met with complete transparency. This move is being described as a major step towards ridding consumers of issues related to overbilling, corruption, and inaccurate readings.