Industrial, agricultural consumers: Govt working on ‘surplus power package' proposal: minister
Speaking during the question hour in the National Assembly on Monday, the minister said the proposed package would be available to all industries, including the export sector, based on incremental power consumption.
He said the Energy Ministry is developing a plan to offer discounted electricity rates on additional usage. Greenfield industries—such as data centers and crypto-mining operations—may receive these discounted rates on their entire consumption, subject to certain conditions.
Responding to a supplementary question, Leghari said the government is also working on a direct subsidy scheme to end cross-subsidies, which place a burden on domestic consumers.
In a written reply, the minister informed the house that as of May 2025, the circular debt in the power sector stood at Rs2.47 trillion. He said the main causes of debt accumulation were inefficiencies in distribution companies (DISCOs), high technical losses, and revenue recovery shortfalls compared to targets set by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
He said that other sources of debt increase include unbudgeted subsidies and financial cost (delayed payment charges) of payables to the power producers. He said that in order to reduce debt stock, an amount of Rs1.275 trillion is being arranged to finance/refinance the current stock of circular debt. He said that the loan will have a six-year tenure at an interest rate of 3-month KIBOR minus 0.9 per cent and will be repaid through the Debt Service Surcharge already collected from electricity consumers in their monthly bills as the Financial Cost Surcharge (FCS).
To prevent fresh accumulation of debt, the minister said multiple measures are underway, including tariff renegotiations with independent power producers (IPPs), privatization of four DISCOs, reducing technical losses through efficiency improvements, market liberalisation, and ensuring future capacity additions are made on a least-cost basis.
Responding to a calling-attention notice, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the National Disaster Management Authority, in coordination with provincial authorities, regularly runs public awareness campaigns and issues timely updates, forecasts, and precautionary measures on weather conditions, rainfall, floods, and other natural disasters.
Later, the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the federal and provincial governments to take necessary steps to celebrate the 1,500th Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) in a befitting manner.
The resolution, moved by Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jillani, called for organising Milad programmes at the highest level and illuminating both government and private buildings. It emphasised the importance of promoting the teachings of the holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe WaAlayhee Wassallam, Khatim-un-Nabiyeen.
In connection with National Minorities Day, the House also passed another resolution moved by Naveed Aamir Jeeva.
The resolution is calling for the inclusion of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's historic address, delivered on 11 August 1947 to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, into the national curriculum.
In that address, the founder of Pakistan declared that 'you are free to go to your temples, mosques, or any other places of worship in this country. You may belong to any religion, caste, or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State.'
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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