In a recent session of the Pakistani Parliament’s Upper House, Senators of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) raised a vocal demand for an official inquiry into what they described as social media propaganda concerning the government’s rumored plans to impose taxes on solar power consumers.
This issue, spearheaded by PPPP Senator Palmas Mohammad Zai Khan, has sparked significant public outcry amidst escalating inflation and rising gas and electricity tariffs.
Senator Khan highlighted the sensitivity of the issue on the Senate floor, stating, “Any notion of taxing households that utilize solar power amounts to a conspiracy against the government. It would be an unwise action, severely impacting the financial stability of our already struggling citizens.” The rumor had gained such traction that it compelled the power division to release an informal statement denying these allegations, as reported widely in the national newspapers.
Adding her voice to the debate, Senator Palwasha Khan expressed her readiness to oppose any such tax initiative from the Senate floor. She underscored the importance of renewable energy advancements, noting, “Pakistan has generated approximately 7,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources in just eight months, underscoring the shift towards more affordable energy solutions.”
The discussion gained further momentum with contributions from PPPP Parliamentary leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman, who criticized the propagation of these rumors as detrimental to national interests and the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Senator Rehman took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to denounce these developments, emphasizing the potential broader implications for the solar power industry, including possible changes to the net metering system which could jeopardize the sector.
Highlighting the international concern, Senator Rehman revealed, “Numerous calls and messages from companies investing in green energy, as well as diplomats and foreign missions, have reached out, questioning whether they should withdraw their investments or halt their renewable initiatives in Pakistan.”
Amidst these discussions, an informal statement from the Power Ministry categorically rejected all such social media claims, asserting no such tax imposition was under consideration. Nevertheless, the Senators stressed the necessity of a formal probe to ensure transparency and to restore investor confidence.
The Senate session also addressed other national issues. Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) responded to accusations from PTI Senator Aoun Abbas Bappi concerning alleged legislative moves intended to extend the tenure of judges. Senator Siddiqui dismissed these claims as mere speculation and cautioned against statements that could potentially incite unnecessary media controversies, reaffirming his commitment to uphold the dignity and honor of the judiciary.
The call for a formal investigation by senators into the solar power tax rumors highlights the significant role of social media in shaping public opinion and policy discourse in Pakistan, underscoring the need for vigilance against misinformation that can lead to widespread public concern and potentially harm national development strategies.
