The government has suggested exemption of 400 units of electric power per month to mosques where prayer leaders issue edict declaring power theft as forbidden [haram] in Islam and run a campaign in Friday sermons against power theft.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan
... aka
Taliban Khan, who who convinced himself that playing cricket qualified him to lead a nuclear-armed nation with severe personality problems...
has come out with the novel idea to rid the country of the problem of power pilferage, which is particularly rife in the insurgency-hit tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and the rural areas in the other three provinces, causing huge revenue losses.
Though the offer is not yet implemented, it has drawn strong criticism especially from Islamic scholars who dubbed it an "open bribe" to prayer leaders.
"It is shameful that the government which came to power chanting slogans of making the country run like state of Medina, is now offering bribe to Ulema for petty causes which could have been resolved through technical means and improving management," said Mufti Mohammad Naeem, head of Jamia Binnoria.
Dr. Allama Mufti Raghib Hussain Naeemi, member of Council of Islamic Ideology and head of Jamia Naeemia Lahore, said: "Rulers must stop dragging Ulema for achieving political and administrative aims. Crimes can’t be controlled through edicts."
He was of the view that the menace of terrorism did not stop despite Islamic scholars using their platform to issue edicts against it.