Pakistan’s solar imports have reached to 32,000 megawatts capacity till now, an official document disclosed. “The country has so far imported 2.25 billion solar panels,” as per the paper came to the knowledge of the media.Pakistan has connected 6271MW electricity on net metering, an electricity billing mechanism that allows consumers who generate their own electricity through solar panels.

Moreover, 6506 megawatts of electricity have been installed without the net metering mechanism, as per the official paper. According to the document, the country has 5521MW off-grid solar and the solar inventory to generate around 13,000 megawatts of electricity. Concerned sources said that the local industry being damaged owing to absence of tax over the solar imports.

“Tax-free imported solar panels being dumped in the country,” sources added. “The government intends to promote local solar industry with 18 percent sales tax on the imports, proposed in the budget to help the local industry,” sources said. It is to be mentioned here that 18 percent GST has already been imposed over the local manufacturing of solar panels.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)