Minister Leghari, Miftah Trade Barbs over the shift of clean measurement policy

• Ismail hits the tax on consumers solar cleaning.
• Leghari reports that changes of net measure benefit future users.
• Govt’s claims renegotiated IPP deals to save RS1.5TR.
  

A heated exchange broke out on Thursday between former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Federal Minister of Power Sardar Awais Leghari on the proposed government reduction in solar cleaning rates, The news reported.

Ismail has accused the government of returning its commitment to solar use, while Leghari rejected allegations, arguing that regulatory changes would make solar energy more accessible and expand its contribution to the national network.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Ismail accused the government of reversing a policy and taking a shift to install solar home systems, reducing cleaning rates.

He criticized the government to move to impose tax on RS8 sales on any unit purchased by consumers who have installed solar systems on the last grid under the cleaning system.

The former finance minister said the government would again impose sales tax when selling electricity to consumers. He recalled that earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif encouraged consumers to install solar systems under cleaning.

The government had introduced the gross measuring regime after the abolition of the net measuring system, he added.

He regained that the government had become cumbersome to buy 1,300 gigawatt hours of electricity from consumers who produce solar energy under the cleaning system.

On the contrary, he pointed out, buying electricity from independent electricity producers (IPPs) with a higher rate of RS70 per unit does not seem to create any financial burden on the government.

ISMA said that consumers of power who have installed solar systems on the top floor below the cleaning regime will now suffer due to government power stations that produce costly electricity.

He said that Pakistan failed to attract foreign investment due to the high cost of electricity for industries. The government has done nothing to reduce the financial and technical damage suffered by energy distribution companies in the country, he added.

The former minister also said that the government should be held accountable for the expensive power stations created in the country. Sindh and Punjab rulers should also be held accountable for their announcements during electoral campaigns that up to 300 power units will be provided free of charge to consumers, he added.

Meanwhile, Leghari rejected Ismail’s criticism, accusing him of misleading the public with incorrect and unfounded elements. Leghari defended the government’s energy policies, in particular the promotion of renewable energy and energy reforms, calling them vital steps to economic stability.

He said the government prioritized clean and affordable energy, encouraging residents to settle solar collectors. He stressed that changes in net measuring regulations led to lower solar energy prices, adding over 4,000 MW of electricity produced by solar energy to the national network.

The federal minister predicted that over the next eight years, solar cleaning capacity would exceed 12,000 MW. “Future consumers will regain their investment within three to four years, which is an excellent performance,” he said, rendering that today’s net users will continue to benefit from previous agreed invoices.

Leghari pointed out that at the global level, net invoices are adapted to avoid unnecessary pressure on national networks and economies. In addition, it revealed that the government was renegotiating agreements with IPPS through mutual consensus, saving more than 1.5 trillion Rs, which, he said, would soon be transferred to consumers through lower electricity prices.

He also emphasized Pakistan’s progress in clean energy, saying that more than 55 % of the National Network’s offer came from clean sources last year, including Hydel, Solar, Wind and Nuclear Energy. It predicts that pure and green energy will reach 85 % of the mixture in the coming years.

In support of the management of the government for sugar and wheat supplies, he rejected ISMA’s criticism as political incentives. “It is unfortunate that a former finance minister is politicizing financial issues without presenting events,” Leghari said, adding that the government’s timely decisions have secured fixed supplies of basic products.

“The government is making every effort to improve energy, agriculture and economic sector. The scale of energy reforms is unprecedented and the ignorance of these achievements is deeply sad.”