By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Owais Leghari has highlighted the urgent need for reforms in Pakistan’s solar net-metering system, noting that the country is witnessing one of the fastest expansions in solar energy globally. Renewable sources now account for 55 percent of Pakistan’s energy mix, he said.
Leghari underlined that while the net-metering framework requires improvement, reform efforts are already underway, with results expected soon. The country’s solar journey, which began almost from scratch in 2015, is projected to supply up to 20 percent of total electricity generation by 2026.
According to the World Resources Institute, Pakistan’s solar growth is unprecedented. In 2024 alone, the country imported 22 gigawatts of solar panels—surpassing the UK’s total installations over the past five years and exceeding all solar systems ever installed in Canada. Typically, transitions to green energy are slow and policy-driven, but in Pakistan, the shift is rapid, market-led, and largely spontaneous.
Despite a 155 percent rise in electricity prices since 2021, largely due to costly and fossil-fuel-dependent power, solar adoption is surging. About 75 percent of Pakistani businesses report that frequent load-shedding threatens their growth. Over the past year, solar panel prices have dropped by 60 percent, accelerating rooftop installations across homes and farms.
Even with a 10 percent import duty on solar panels, Pakistan’s solar expansion continues. By 2025, the country has imported $1.5 billion worth of solar panels, making it the world’s third-largest importer. The World Resources Institute notes that Pakistan is undergoing the most remarkable energy transition in its history, driven by significant public and policy leadership.
