ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
An eight-member delegation of the Pakistan Alternative Energy Association (PAEA) and the Renewable Energy Association of Pakistan (REAP), led by PAEA Chairman Asif Javed, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and held a detailed meeting with President ICCI Sardar Tahir Mehmood to apprise him of the serious challenges being faced by the renewable and alternative energy sector in the wake of the proposed changes to the Net Metering Policy.
Speaking on the occasion, President ICCI Sardar Tahir Mehmood assured the delegation of the Chamber’s all-out support and reaffirmed that ICCI would play an active advocacy role by raising the issue at all relevant forums. He emphasized that abrupt or unconsulted policy shifts could undermine investor confidence, adversely impact employment, and slow down the momentum of clean energy adoption, which is vital for economic stability and climate resilience. He stressed the need for meaningful stakeholder consultation to ensure policy continuity, transparency, and a balanced approach that safeguards national economic interests.
Senior Vice President ICCI Tahir Ayub and Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, in their remarks, endorsed the concerns raised by PAEA and REAP and highlighted that renewable energy has emerged as a key contributor to reducing pressure on the national grid and lowering dependence on imported fuels. They underscored that protecting investor confidence and ensuring sustainable growth of the solar and allied industries is essential for job creation and long-term energy security, adding that ICCI would continue to support initiatives promoting a stable and business-friendly energy policy framework.
Earlier, PAEA Chairman Asif Javed underlined the need to retain net metering as an effective policy mechanism that encourages distributed solar generation without imposing additional costs or inefficiencies on the power system. He emphasized that the government should instead focus on addressing core issues such as transmission and distribution losses, recovery rates, transmission system constraints, and other structural inefficiencies that are major contributors to cost escalation in the power sector. He also called for effective management of IPPs and recovery of losses from all relevant sources.
Vice Chairman Renewable Energy Association of Pakistan (REAP) Tayyab Niaz stated that PAEA and REAP are fully committed to working closely with government agencies to amicably resolve issues related to losses, generation management, transmission, and distribution in the best interest of the country.
The delegation thanked ICCI leadership for their support and expressed hope that timely intervention by the Chamber would help address industry concerns while aligning power sector reforms with Pakistan’s climate commitments and broader economic priorities. Former ICCI President Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi, Executive Members Zulqurnain Abbasi, Mohsin Khalid Malik, Raja Naveed Satti, ICCI Member Israr ul Haq Mashwani, and others were also present on the occasion.