According to ARY News, a plan to tax people who use solar panels for personal or commercial uses was put out by the Central Power Purchasing Agency, and the federal government is now considering it. The CPPA recommends a levy of PKR 2,000 per kilowatt for residential and business customers installing 12 kW or more, according to sources.
Originally referred to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) for approval, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has finally received this proposal for final approval. Customers who want to purchase 12-kilowatt solar panels will be subject to a PKR 24,000 tax if the prime minister approves the proposal. Meanwhile, the federal government is looking into ways to bring down the cost of solar panels and is examining their existing pricing.
In a related development, Sindh Minister for Jails Ali Hasan Zardari announced plans to transition prisons across the province to solar energy. The initiative involves installing 200 to 600KV solar kits in jails to replace traditional fans with solar technology. Implementation has commenced in Karachi Central Jail, Women’s Jail, and Landhi Jail, with plans to extend the transition to other jails in the province subsequently.
However, on Friday, government employees from major institutions staged protests at Karachi Port, leading to a backlog in import and export traffic as containers remained uncleared. The strike, conducted by Pakistan Standard and Quality Control officers and employees, was triggered by the alleged withholding of bonuses and incentives. A former vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) highlighted the employees’ grievances regarding the delayed payouts.