Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari has ruled out any increase in tax on electricity charges, saying no such proposal is under consideration.

He was briefing newsmen in Islamabad today on key issues and reforms in power sector.                          

The Minister said government is trying to ensure transparency in the subsidy being provided to consumers using less than 200 units of electricity per month as number of these consumers has exceeded 21.5 million.

He clarified that government is not going to end subsidy for protected consumers and added that all these consumers are being linked through a QR code, so only truly deserving ones can get this subsidy and the savings can be used to provide relief to the remaining consumers.

He said two million people have so far got themselves registered by linking their electricity meters with their CNICs through the QR codes provided in the bills.

The Minister said Power Division's burden on federal budget has been reduced by 457 billion rupees. He added that the Division's demand in the federal budget used to be 1,287 billion rupees but has now been reduced to only 830 billion rupees for the upcoming budget.

He said circular debt worth 780 billion rupees has been reduced in the power sector.             

The Minister clarified that solar energy is not being discouraged but rather being streamlined principally as a generation asset.                                               

He said Pakistan is producing 55 percent clean and environment friendly energy and by 2035 Pakistan's 90 percent energy production will be clean.          

He said our dependence on imported fuel during 2025 was 2.4 billion dollars and will be only 0.3 billion dollars by 2035. 

The Minister said power sector is also improving its complaint redressal system, noting that out of 6.1 million complaints received this year 4.6 million were resolved in a timely manner.