Speaking during the question hour in the Senate on Tuesday, Leghari said some affluent consumers had installed solar systems to reduce their grid electricity consumption below 200 units and benefit from subsidised tariffs. He said the government was working on a mechanism to provide targeted relief to people living below the poverty line.
The minister said the number of consumers using up to 200 units of electricity had reached around 20 million, adding that many among them were also using solar energy. He stressed the need to review electricity tariff slabs to address the issue.
Leghari informed the Senate that the power sector's circular debt had declined to Rs1.67 trillion, and the government aimed to eliminate it over the next four years. He added that the debt servicing surcharge on circular debt was also expected to be phased out during the same period.
He said the Energy Ministry had been receiving Rs1.18 trillion in budgetary support when the current government took office, but the amount had been reduced to Rs700 billion in the current fiscal year.
The minister acknowledged that although distribution companies' (DISCOs) losses had declined annually, the benefits had not yet been passed on to electricity consumers.
During the session, Senator Abid Sher Ali highlighted the financial burden on protected consumers, saying electricity bills remained unaffordable for many households. He also questioned the sharp increase in bills when consumption exceeded 200 units and asked whether consumers were bearing the cost of electricity theft.
The Senate session was also disrupted by a lack of quorum and the absence of several government members and ministers.
Parliamentary journalists staged a walkout from the press galleries over their concerns but ended their protest after senators assured them that their issues would be addressed.