ISLAMABAD: The federal government has submitted the PC-1 of the 82MW utility-scale solar component of the 100MW Gilgit-Baltistan Solar Energy Project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed during a high-level review meeting.
According to an official statement, the 82MW solar project is expected to benefit nearly 1.3 million people by improving electricity supply and significantly reducing load shedding across Gilgit-Baltistan.
Chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy, describing solar power as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s transition toward clean, affordable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable electricity generation.
The prime minister termed the 100MW solar initiative a “gift from the federal government to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan” and directed the Power Division to ensure the project is completed within the stipulated timeline.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining complete transparency throughout the procurement process, instructing officials that all project-related payments should be released only after comprehensive third-party verification and validation.
During the briefing, officials informed the prime minister that, in addition to the 82MW utility-scale solar plant, an 18MW rooftop solar system equipped with battery energy storage will be installed on 499 government buildings across Gilgit-Baltistan by December.
The rooftop installations are expected to improve the reliability of public services while enhancing the region’s energy self-sufficiency through distributed renewable generation.
The review meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, and other senior government officials.
The 100MW initiative builds on the prime minister’s decision in September 2025 to utilize confiscated solar panels for public-sector energy projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, with a focus on deploying distributed solar photovoltaic systems across remote areas of the region.
