Policy changes and uncertainties in Pakistan have been a major bane for consumers and businesses alike. With frequently changing governments, important policies are made, changed, and scrapped just as rapidly. Solar energy, unfortunately, has not been an exception.
Championed as one of the greatest assets for this country, solar energy has not been fully exploited to our benefit, nor has its progress been sustained. Instead, its progress has been hampered due to these constant policy changes.
Three such policies, which (un)surprisingly have all occurred within this year, are highlighted in this article:
The SBP has yet to disburse any funds under its solar financing policy to banks for onward disbursal to customers
1) Imposition and then (partial) removal of GST
At the start of the year, the previous government imposed a general sales tax (GST) of 17 per cent on all solar…