Pakistan, May 27 -- ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior has rejected a controversial bill that proposed giving broader powers to police and power companies to tackle electricity theft. Lawmakers expressed serious concerns about potential misuse and public harassment.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 Section 462(O) aimed to simplify the process of filing cases against electricity theft. However, the committee, led by Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, voted against the bill after a detailed discussion at Parliament House.

Members from major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), opposed the bill. They argued that expanding police authority could lea...