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PM ORDERS NEPRA APPEAL TO ‘PROTECT’ EXISTING SOLAR USERS AMID ‘NEW REGULATIONS’ Thursday, 12 February, 2026 | 23 Sha’ban, 1447
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ DIRECTS POWER DIVISION TO IMMEDIATELY FILE APPEAL AGAINST NEPRA’S ‘PROSUMER REGULATIONS 2026’
STRESSES NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO PROTECT EXISTING AGREEMENTS AND ENCOURAGE ROOFTOP SOLAR ADOPTION
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 219 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
EMPHASIZES 466,000 EXISTING SOLAR USERS MUST NOT BEAR BURDEN OF 37.6 MILLION GRID CONSUMERS NEPRA REPLACES NET METERING WITH NET BILLING; BUYBACK RATE MAY DROP FROM RS25.9 TO RS11 PER UNIT
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ATTENDED BY ISHAQ DAR, AWAIS LEGHARI, AHAD CHEEMA AND SENIOR OFFICIALS REVIEWS NEW NET METERING REGULATIONS ISLAMABAD
Saleem Jadoon
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Power Division to immediately file an appeal with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to review the “new solar regulations,” in a bid to protect existing contracts for current solar users. The premier issued the instructions while chairing a high-level special meeting in Islamabad to discuss the implications of Nepra’s recently issued regulations, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Sardar Owais Khan Laghari, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, Privatisation Advisor Muhammad Ali, and other senior officials. The prime minister emphasized that the burden on 466,000 existing solar users should not fall on the 37.6 million consumers relying solely on the national grid. A comprehensive plan will be developed by the Power Division to address the issue, the statement added.
Nepra had abolished the exchangeof-units system under solar net metering on Monday, replacing it with a net billing framework under the Prosumer Regulations 2026, triggering widespread criticism from politicians, former officials, and energy experts. Critics argue the move could disincentivize rooftop solar adoption and worsen power sector inefficiencies. Currently, the buyback rate for solar net generation stands at Rs25.9 per unit, which may be reduced to Rs11 per unit
Salman Safdar denies comment on Imran Khan’s health, submits jail report to SC ISLAMABAD
Staff report
Advocate Salman Safdar on Wednesday rejected media reports attributing statements to him regarding the health of PTI founder Imran Khan, clarifying that he had made no such comments following his Supreme Court-ordered meeting at Adiala Jail. “I needed to speak to the media today, as yesterday false news was attributed to me,” Safdar told reporters. “I did not make any statement regarding PTI founder Imran Khan’s health,” he said, adding that details of his threehour meeting had been misreported. Safdar explained that after meeting Imran Khan, he had only stated it would not be appropriate to speak publicly until he submitted his report to the Supreme Court. “It is not appropriate [for me to talk] until I submit the report,” he had said at the time, confirming only that the meeting took place and that he had been granted full access. He further clarified that he did not brief Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan or PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja regarding the meeting. According to Safdar, both understood that he could not discuss the contents of the report. “I requested them not to discuss anything related to the report. I did not tell them anything, and they respected my opinion,” he said. Earlier, Aleema Khan had told reporters that Safdar was not permitted to speak on any subject after the meeting, adding that he had only informed them that he met Imran Khan for two hours and that he was “alright.” On Tuesday, the Supreme Court appointed Safdar as a friend of the court to assess and report on Imran Khan’s living conditions at Adiala Jail. Acting on court directions, Safdar met the PTI founder and inspected his cell. Safdar revealed that his report spans seven pages and 22 paragraphs and has been submitted to the apex court. “My first responsibility was to submit the report,” he said, adding that he had fulfilled his duty. He noted that he praised Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and commended the administration of Adiala Jail in his report. Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi had directed that Safdar be treated with respect and granted unhindered access during his visit.
under the new rules. The contract period has also been reduced from seven to five years, and the burden of capacity payments is now being shifted to solar consumers. Under the new regulations, utilities are required to purchase excess electricity from prosumers—households, businesses, and industries generating up to one megawatt—at the national average energy purchase price, while selling electricity back at the applicable consumer tariff, effectively ending one-toone net metering.
The new buyback rate has not yet been officially notified, but Rs11 per unit was discussed during stakeholder consultations. Solar net consumers will have to pay the net difference to Discos once the exchange-of-units regime ends. The policy does not apply to existing consumers, but after contract expiry, Discos have the authority to either terminate agreements or shift users to the new framework. Nepra’s overhaul replaces the 2015 Alternative and Renewable Energy Distributed Generation and Net Metering Regulations, fundamentally changing how rooftop solar and other small generators are compensated. The new rules also apply to solar, wind, and biogas systems and take effect immediately. On Tuesday, Power Minister Awais Leghari defended the move, saying, “These are a change in the regulations, and it is the job of the regulator to change them as per the law and the Constitution.” He stressed that Nepra had not changed any existing agreements, and nothing in the current framework affected the 466,000 net metering consumers. Leghari added that the government had clearly communicated that future solar installations would have electricity purchased at the revised rate.
Zardari warns against Iran escalation, urges dialogue to safeguard regional peace ISLAMABAD
Staff report
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday welcomed efforts aimed at easing tensions and promoting regional peace, warning that any military escalation involving Iran could destabilise the Gulf region, South Asia, and Western Asia, with far-reaching global consequences. “Any instability involving Iran, or any attempt to resolve issues through military means, carries grave risks. Such actions could escalate conflicts, undermine global peace, and cause serious harm to the world economy. The stakes are far too high for confrontation,” the president said while addressing a reception hosted by the Embassy of Iran to mark the 47th anniversary of Iran’s National Day. He reiterated that Pakistan
opposed unilateral sanctions and coercive measures, including those imposed on Iran, and firmly believed that peaceful engagement and dialogue best served regional and global security. “Pakistan welcomes efforts aimed at easing tensions and encourages continued dialogue among all relevant parties in a constructive spirit, with the objec-
tive of promoting peace and stability in the region,” he added. Earlier, President Zardari asked participants to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the recent blast in Islamabad as well as those who lost their lives in tragic incidents in Iran. “Let us pray that wars never come to us,” the president said.
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NA passes resolution honouring armed forces’ sacrifices in war on terror ISLAMABAD
Staff report
The National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution paying tribute to the Armed Forces for their “unparalleled sacrifices” in the fight against terrorism, reaffirming that the martyrs’ sacrifices would not go in vain. The resolution, moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, underscored the nation’s un-
wavering support for the armed forces and commended their professionalism, bravery, and dedication in safeguarding national security, stability, and peace. Speaking on the floor of the House, Khawaja Asif strongly criticised recent remarks by Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai about the Pakistan Army, terming them irresponsible and an attempt to malign a national institution.
He said the Army represented the federation and drew its strength from all provinces and minority communities, calling it “the force of entire Pakistan.” Sharing figures, the minister said that over the past five years, 3,141 personnel—including officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans—had embraced martyrdom in the fight against terrorism, belonging to all parts of the country.
SHO among five cops martyred in DI Khan terror ambush BANNU/DI KHAN
Staff CorreSpondent
Five police personnel, including a station house officer (SHO), were martyred, while a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and his driver sustained critical injuries during a fierce exchange of fire with terrorists amid a search operation in the limits of Panyala police station in Dera Ismail Khan, police said on Wednesday. According to police, the incident occurred in the Wanda Budh area of Paharpur tehsil after law enforcement received intelligence reports about the presence of terrorists in the locality. A police party was dispatched to conduct a search operation when the militants, lying in ambush, opened indiscriminate fire on the team. Police personnel retaliated, leading to a prolonged gun battle. As a result, SHO Panyala Fahim Mumtaz Khan Marwat, Constable Tauqeer, Constable Irfan, Constable Ghulam Subhani and Constable Wajahat embraced martyrdom. DSP (Paharpur Circle) Hafiz Adnan and Assistant Sub-Inspector Tariq sustained injuries in the attack and were shifted along with the bodies of the martyrs to the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital. DSP Adnan’s condition was described as critical. Following the incident, security was placed on high alert, and a heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area. A combing and search operation was launched, with checkpoints established at all entry and exit points to trace the attackers.
Bugti rejects ‘development excuse’ for militancy, calls for clarity on terrorism
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QUETTA
Staff report
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Wednesday told the provincial assembly that no individual or group could be allowed to take up arms and kill innocent people under any pretext, as he addressed the recent wave of violence that disrupted parts of the province late last month. He argued that attempts were being made to frame militancy as a reaction to lack of development, a reasoning he rejected. He said uneven development existed across the country and questioned why violence was not witnessed elsewhere on that basis. His remarks came about ten days after coordinated attacks on January 31 paralysed several districts for days. Security forces later said 216 militants were killed in a follow-up action named “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1”. Speaking on the floor of the house, the chief minister said there was a troubling “confusion” in how terrorism was viewed in Pakistan, which he linked to propaganda narratives that, in his words, sought to create distance between the state and young people in Balochistan. Bugti maintained that the authority to use force rested only with the state and could not be claimed by any group in the name of grievance or ideology. He warned that efforts to rationalise violence were dangerous and risked pushing the Baloch youth into what he described as a futile conflict that would only result in further bloodshed.
NA speaker approves BNP-M chief Mengal’s resignation from 2024 ISLAMABAD
Staff report
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday approved the resignation of Balochistan National PartyMengal leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal, which had been submitted in September 2024 amid political and security turmoil in the province. Mengal had won the Khuzdar seat in the 2024 general elections but stepped down months later, saying conditions in Balochistan and the limited space for elected representatives to raise provincial concerns in Parliament had compelled him to quit. Reacting after the decision, Mengal said on social media that he had not availed any salary, allowance or residence facilities since handing in his resignation and had vacated the Parliament Lodges well over a year ago. He criticised the delay in processing his request and linked it to political discomfort over his public engagements, including his recent appearance at a conference in Lahore where he spoke about developments in Balochistan. At that event, he questioned electoral and political trends in the province and spoke about constraints on political activity, media freedom and civil rights. In a separate message, the BNP-M chief described his resignation as a deliberate and principled step taken in response to what he called longstanding grievances of Balochistan that, in his view, remained unaddressed.
How will existing solar net metering users be affected by NEPRA’s new regulations? PROFIT REPORT
Here is what has happened in short: the government has decided to abolish net metering for both existing and future solar consumers. New regulations were approved by NEPRA on Tuesday, and it became clear that the system of billing had changed for anyone who was on net-metering, be it new consumers or old ones. There are 4.66 lakh net metering connections in the country, and most of them are installed in urban areas. In response to the regulation there has been an uproar, and merely a day after NEPRA made its announcement the federal government seems to be backtracking on
the status of those households that have existing net-metering connections. The Prime Minister has already directed the power division to file an appeal with NEPRA and the Power Minister, Awais Leghari, has assured the senate there will be no change in the status of existing net-metering consumers (despite what the regulation clearly states). The question remains: What will happen now? The difference between net-metering and net-billing If you have solar panels, two things happen. During the daytime your panels produce a certain number of units of electricity and export them to the DISCO, and you offset that by consuming a certain num-
ber of units, either at the time or later in the day. If you consume less than you export, you get paid, and if you consume more, you pay. (For the sake of simplicity and understnding this analysis excludes the additional calculation of on-peak consumption) Now, if you make excess electricity, that electricity is free for you to store or to export to your DISCO, depending upon the kind of inverter setup you have. For all intents and purposes, the number that matters in net-metering is the units you export to the DISCO. Say you export 1,000 kWh of electricity in a month and consume 900 kWh from the grid. Under the older net metering, you would receive credits for the 100 kWh that
you give back to the grid. This means that your total bill is (-100 x NAPP), where NAPP is the National Average Purchase Price, the price at which the government buys back extra units. If the NAPP is 27, the bill comes out to be -2700. (The negative sign signifies that this bill is a receivable, and the DISCO owes you Rs 2700) In net billing, this will change. Under the new regime, the total bill of your export will be netted against total import, instead of treating the differential of electricity consumed/produced. Basically, the DISCO will now bill your entire export at the NAPP and charge you separately against your entire import. To explain this we take the same example as above. If the electricity purchase rate,
the NAPP, is Rs. 27 per kWh, your credit amount would be (-1000 kWh * NAPP), which comes out to be Rs, 27,000. But the bill for your electricity import will be calculated differently, at (900 kWh * Rs 47), which comes out to be Rs 42,300. The amount payable will hence be the net of these bills (hence the term net-billing), which is Rs 15,300. (A three-phased connection’s consumption of over 600 kWh is billed at ~Rs 47, according to current pricing regulations). However, there is another twist. This calculation above is for existing prosumers, who have already signed a 7 year contract. New connections will get a different NAPP, at approximately Rs 11.
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