Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Leghari said the government is not ending subsidies for protected consumers and described such reports as “contrary to the facts”.
He said consumers using less than 200 units of electricity will continue to benefit from subsidies, adding that more than 20 million users currently fall under this category.
According to him, eligible consumers will keep receiving subsidies without disruption through a QR code registration system designed to improve transparency and ensure targeted financial support.
The minister clarified that there are no plans to impose additional taxes on electricity bills, stating that no such proposal is under consideration.
He explained that the QR code system is intended to collect accurate consumer data and ensure that subsidies reach only deserving households, with users required to provide relevant details during registration.
Leghari said the number of electricity subsidy beneficiaries has increased significantly over the past four years, rising from 9.5 million to 21.5 million.
He added that around 29.57 million domestic consumers, or approximately 86% of the total, are currently receiving some form of subsidy support.
Highlighting reforms in the power sector, the minister said renegotiations with independent power producers have generated savings of Rs3.5 trillion, while reduced losses in distribution companies have saved Rs193 billion.
He further said that circular debt was reduced by Rs780 billion during the 2024–25 fiscal year, calling it evidence of ongoing improvements in the energy sector.
Leghari defended the government’s claims of falling electricity costs, saying reforms are beginning to deliver tangible relief to consumers.
On solar energy, he said the government is not discouraging adoption but is instead improving system transparency, adding that net metering has not been abolished and only billing procedures have been revised.
He noted that more than two million single-phase consumers have completed registration so far, and said that around 90% of domestic users would remain unaffected by the revised net billing policy.
He also added that licensing requirements for solar projects up to 25kW have been removed, with regulatory approvals simplified for small-scale installations.
