Author: Admin

Govt Plans to Lift Surcharge Cap on Power Bills via NEPRA Act Amendment

Admin
Power-sector

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is preparing to amend the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Act to lift the existing 10% cap on electricity surcharges, enabling it to impose additional charges on power consumers, official sources revealed on Wednesday. The proposed legal amendment would grant the government broader authority to levy surcharges beyond the current limit, allowing for case-by-case tariff hikes and flexible duration of implementation. This change is aimed at addressing persistent financial challenges in the power sector. Officials disclosed that a proposal is under consideration to introduce an…

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Oil Industry Warns of \$6bn Investment Risk Over GST Exemption

Admin
petroleum-imports

ISLAMABAD: The oil industry has raised alarm over the government’s failure to withdraw the general sales tax (GST) exemption on petroleum products in the Finance Bill 2025, warning that it puts at risk \$6 billion worth of planned investments for refinery upgrades under the Pakistan Brownfield Oil Refining Policy 2023. In a letter to the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), the Chairman of the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) conveyed the industry’s “deep concern and strong protest” over the continuation of the sales tax exemption, stressing that it threatens business…

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Budget 2025-26: Govt Warns of Rs500bn Tax Burden if Parliament Blocks Enforcement Measures

Admin
ECONOMIC-SURVEY

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday issued a stark warning: Pakistan could face an additional tax burden of Rs400–500 billion if Parliament fails to pass key enforcement measures outlined in the 2025–26 federal budget — already approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “I now request my colleagues in both houses of Parliament to get the enabling clauses for enforcement measures passed; otherwise, we would have to take Rs400–500bn additional tax measures,” Mr Aurangzeb said at a post-budget press conference. The soft-spoken minister hinted at possible resistance within the…

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KE Seeks Partial Retention of Rs4.69/Unit Fuel Cost Benefit, Cites Pending Adjustments

Admin
K-Electric

ISLAMABAD: K-Electric (KE) has requested the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) not to pass on the full Rs4.69 per unit negative fuel cost adjustment (FCA) for April to consumers. Instead, the utility has sought to retain approximately Rs800 million to offset previously incurred but unadjusted costs. In its petition, KE cited over-recovery of Rs7.2 billion in April due to lower-than-anticipated fuel costs but argued that pending adjustments—including Rs16 billion related to partial load, open cycle and degradation curves, and startup costs from July 2023 to April 2025—justify retention. It…

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Solar Industry Warns 18% GST on Imported Panels Could Derail Pakistan’s Clean Energy Progress

Admin

KARACHI: Pakistan’s renewable energy sector has sounded the alarm over the government’s proposed 18% General Sales Tax (GST) on imported solar panels, cautioning that the move could reverse recent gains in clean energy adoption, raise electricity costs, and negatively impact consumers, businesses, and farmers. Solar energy has emerged as a critical alternative amid rising fossil fuel prices and mounting electricity bills. However, stakeholders argue that this tax threatens to make solar installations unaffordable, curbing demand and undermining the national energy transition. “An 18% GST on imported solar panels could derail…

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