Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari has formally requested all provincial governments to eliminate the electricity duty currently charged through monthly power bills, starting July 1, 2025.
In letters sent to the chief ministers of all provinces, Leghari urged provincial administrations to cooperate with the federal government’s initiative, which aims to provide immediate relief to consumers already facing high electricity tariffs.
“Excessive electricity rates have already become a burden for the public,” Leghari wrote, adding, “It is our responsibility to simplify and make power bills more transparent for consumers.”
He emphasized that the electricity duty—imposed and collected at the provincial level—constitutes an unnecessary financial burden. He further advised provinces to explore alternative revenue generation models that do not rely on energy bills.
Leghari reiterated that the federal government is pursuing broad-based power sector reforms focused on removing non-essential charges from bills so that consumers pay only for the actual electricity they use.
“Provincial cooperation is crucial for the success of reforms aimed at reducing electricity prices,” he added.
The energy minister’s appeal comes a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the abolition of the Pakistan Television (PTV) license fee from electricity bills nationwide.
Speaking at the launch of the “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” mobile app in Islamabad, the Prime Minister laid out a four-point reform agenda targeting electricity theft, underutilization, circular debt, and high generation costs.
Mr. Sharif revealed that electricity theft results in losses of Rs500 billion annually, calling it one of the sector’s most urgent challenges. He said aggressive action is being taken, with personal oversight from his office.
The Prime Minister also addressed the issue of lower-than-expected electricity consumption, attributing it to the rapid growth of solar energy adoption across the country. He welcomed this trend, noting:
“Solar energy is the cheapest source of electricity in the world, and Pakistan is among the few countries witnessing fast-paced solarisation.”
He assured citizens that the government would not discourage the use of solar panels and promised to safeguard the rights of electricity consumers during the ongoing reform process.
