Govt employees get free electricity worth Rs6,000 monthly: Energy minister

Power sector employees receive Rs6,000 worth of free electricity each month, Energy Minister Awais Leghari revealed on Wednesday, as the government explores legal avenues to end the privilege.

Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Leghari stated that the government cannot currently halt free electricity for power division and generation company employees due to ongoing legal cases.

"We have approached the Attorney General’s Office to expedite the resolution of these cases so that we can put an end to free electricity," he said.

Leghari proposed increasing salaries as a replacement for free power benefits and noted that the government is working on strategies to provide surplus electricity at lower rates.

Discussing solar net metering, the minister warned that it has imposed an additional Rs103 billion burden on regular consumers.

"As solarisation increases, the financial strain on ordinary consumers grows, as we are forced to buy expensive electricity through net metering," he explained.

The government, he added, aims to ensure that net metering investors recover their costs within four years while managing the impact on general consumers.

Govt to auction surplus electricity to industries

On Tuesday, Leghari announced the government's plan to auction surplus electricity to industries. This initiative, aimed at stimulating industrial growth and creating employment opportunities, was detailed in a press statement by the Ministry of Energy on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Leghari emphasised that surplus electricity would be made available competitively to maximise benefits for the economy and industrial sector.

The minister also highlighted the National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, which seeks to promote the adoption of electric vehicles across Pakistan.

He stated that electricity tariffs for EV charging stations had been significantly reduced to make EVs more affordable and accessible.

This step, he said, aligns with the government's vision of promoting sustainable energy solutions and reducing environmental impact.