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Today's Paper | March 19, 2026

Published 19 Mar, 2026 10:10am

Policy inconsistency

THIS is with reference to the report ‘Prosumers slam Nepra’s bid to curb incentives’ (Feb 8). The proposed new rules, Prosumers Regulation 2025, appear to overregulate and, thereby, pulverise the march of rapid solarisation of domestic and commercial quarters. The pace at which the installation of solar systems has progressed in the country is indicative of both the customers’ preference for electricity generation and disaffection with the power suppliers.

For some time now, the government was said to be encouraging the spread of solarisation. The cost of solar paraphernalia dipped markedly, and consumers earned dividends on account of net metering. But the new regulation has once again underscored the ruinous inconsistency of policies. It is not difficult to overemphasise the imperative importance of encouraging the solarisation of homes and commercial operations across the country in order to facilitate consumers, generate clean energy, give respite from power outages, support small businesses and agricultural activity, and, above all, provide due employment opportunities to many skilled and unskilled labourers as well as qualified engineers.

Babar Khan Sarai
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2026

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