Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has refuted the reports circulating on social media, clarifying that the government is not considering the imposition of any sort of tax on solar panels.
Reports were circulating on social media that the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CCPA-G) has proposed imposing a tax of Rs2,000 per kilowatt on both residential and commercial solar panel users.
The minister chose to respond on the X (a platform that his government has kept blocked since taking power). In his post, Asif said that no summary has been initiated by the CCPA-G or by the Power Division.
He further mentioned that imposing a tax on any product is not even the mandate of the CPPA-G. Only the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has authority to do so, he stated.
Asif said that the net metering regime, as practiced these days, unduly punishes non-participant poorer families. Therefore, it is being reviewed to ensure that existing net-metered consumers (roughly 1.75 lacs) remain protected, he added.
No further burden is shifted to those consumers (roughly 25 million) who are not net-metered; the current additional burden for such consumers is Rs 110 billion per annum, he stated.
The minister also urged social media users to kindly check the facts before sharing anything related to public importance on social media.
It is pertinent to mention here that the cost of solar systems ranging from 7 to 15 kilowatts has significantly decreased in local markets.