Islamabad, 25 June 2024, (GNP): The cabinet has opted against imposing extra charges on solar panels. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed worries regarding potential alterations to net metering and the introduction of new taxes on solar products, affirming that the federal government will refrain from imposing additional duties on solar panels to maintain affordable energy access for all citizens.
The clarification followed signals from the federal government about replacing solar net metering with “gross metering” and reports suggesting new taxes on solar products, which would significantly reduce the financial benefits of in-house power generation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the “government is planning to put the national economy on a positive trajectory” and expressed satisfaction with the country’s progress towards economic stability.
He made these comments while chairing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, during which members made a series of key decisions.
The premier reiterated the commitment to boost the country’s exports by promoting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and withdrawing privileges from the elite class and those exploiting national resources.
He emphasized that the economic protection of the common man and providing equal opportunities were among the government’s top priorities.
Discussing the annual budget for 2024-25, the premier instructed members to ensure their participation in the ongoing budget debate in parliament.
PIA privatisation
During the briefing, the cabinet members were informed that the privatization of PIA was progressing quickly, with interested companies visiting various airline sites as part of the pre-bidding process. The bidding for the national flag carrier is scheduled for the first week of August.
He instructed to expedite the PIA privatization while ensuring transparency throughout the process.
No hike in sugar price
During the briefing on the Economic Coordination Committee’s decisions, the cabinet was informed that the country had a sufficient stock of sugar. The Sugar Advisory Board and relevant departments approved the export of the surplus sugar stock after considering the expected consumption before the next crushing season and assessing the surplus.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the government would not tolerate any increase in the sugar price and instructed the formation of a committee to monitor the sugar price and halt its export if there is any indication of a price hike.
In other decisions, the federal cabinet approved the transit of a truck from Karachi to Kabul carrying spare parts for trucks, on humanitarian grounds, based on the commerce ministry’s recommendation and a request from the World Food Programme (WFP) of Afghanistan.
The cabinet also approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, it extended the timeframe of an implementation committee on the immovable property of the late Ameer of Bahawalpur until March 2025, in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling and the recommendation of the States and Frontier Regions Division.
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The federal cabinet approved the appointment of the Executive Director of the Frequency Allocation Board and the annual report of the National Economic Council (NEC) for the fiscal year 2022-23, prepared by the planning ministry for presentation to parliament.
Finally, the cabinet endorsed the decisions made by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on June 13, 2024, the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases on June 11, 2024, and the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises on June 20, 2024.
