Renewables are crucial for Pakistan’s energy future, but the transition must be inclusive. The current solar net-metering policy favours those who can afford solar panels, usually homeowners in gated housing societies, while passing costs onto renters, lower-income families, and older neighbourhoods.
It is creating an energy caste system. If green energy leads to exclusion and economic injustice, it defeats the very idea of progress. We need policies that balance climate goals with social equity, where affordability is preserved and grid costs are shared. Otherwise, this transition risks becoming a tale of two energy systems.
We cannot have a system where high walls and private wealth shield some from rising bills, while the rest face inflation without options. If solar is a public good, it must be managed as one with accountability, not privilege.
Natasha Soomro
Sukkur
