Senators demand probe into propaganda on taxing solar consumers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Senators on Monday demanded the Upper House of the Parliament to direct a probe into social media propaganda on the government’s alleged intention to tax solar power consumers.

Senator Palmas Mohammad Zai Khan while taking to the floor on point of order demanded the House to take note of the issue as social media hearsays led to a huge outcry in the public already burdened by skyrocketing inflation and a rise in gas and electricity tariffs.

Senator Khan said, “If there is any idea to tax solar power-consuming households then it’s tantamount to a conspiracy against the sitting government and a wise move that will further break the backbone of the masses already battered by price hikes and poor economic situation.”

She said the newspapers had given wide coverage to the story that forced the power division to issue an informal statement brushing aside all the claims leveled in the social media’s misleading information.

Senator Palwasha Khan announced on the floor of the House that if there was going to be any such decision then it would be resisted from the floor.
“Pakistan has produced some 7,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy sources in just eight months that give huge impetus to shift over cheaper energy sources,” she said.

Chipping in her discussion, the PPPP Parliamentary leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman said the issue surfaced on Saturday weekend that was against the state and country’s ambitions and also the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Senator Rehman said she took to X formerly Twitter, to condemn the development and wrote three posts demanding the Prime Minister take notice of the matter.
She said it was not only the solar power units that were going to be charged but also the net metering system was going to be altered that would completely break this industry.

“There have been many calls and messages from green energy investing companies, diplomats, and foreign missions investing in green energy initiatives in the country. They asked me if should we take our investment back or close our endeavors for renewables rollout,” Senator Rehman said.

“The Power Ministry has furnished an informal statement rejecting all such allegations whereas it is pertinent that this should not have happened,” she said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator, Irfan Siddiqui termed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Aoun Abbas Bappi’s accusations of legislation intended to provide an extension in the age of the judges as speculations and forbade him to avoid making such concocted statements that may instigate a controversy on media.

He said he would endorse Senator Bappi’s stance for ensuring the safeguard of honorable judges’ prestige and honor and all such efforts to tarnish their reputation would be condemned by his party.