ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched a QR code-based registration system to ensure electricity subsidies are provided only to eligible consumers, Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari said on Sunday, with verified users continuing to receive government support.
Pakistan provides electricity subsidies mainly to protect low-income households by offering lower rates for consumers who use less than 200 units of electricity per month.
Leghari made the remarks at a press conference in Islamabad to address claims against the power sector regarding the removal of subsidies for protected consumers, reduction in electricity prices, net-metering billing, and other related issues.
“The government wants to ensure subsidies go only to eligible consumers, not ineligible ones,” the power ministry quoted Leghari as saying.
“A QR code registration system has been launched — already 2 million single-phase consumers have registered,” it added. “Verified eligible consumers will continue receiving their subsidy without interruption.”
Leghari highlighted that net metering is being revised to net billing, which will only affect three-phase commercial and industrial consumers. Net metering is a system where solar users send extra electricity to the grid and receive credits for it.
“The change ensures that the cost of solar credits paid out does not unfairly burden non-solar consumers,” he was quoted as saying.
“Solar is not being discouraged. It is being regulated as a proper generation asset to ensure fairness across all consumer categories.”
Last October, Pakistan announced a three-year electricity subsidy for industry and agriculture under the “Roshan Maeeshat Bijli Package.”
From November 2025 to October 2028, eligible users will receive electricity at Rs22.98 ($0.08) per unit, down from Rs34 ($0.12) for industry and Rs38 ($0.14) for agriculture, aiming to boost competitiveness in regional markets.
