ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Power Minister Awais Leghari on Friday announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the federal government has formally ended the long-controversial facility of free electricity units for power sector employees following a court-backed decision.
Leghari described the verdict as a groundbreaking change that would transform Pakistan’s energy industry. Leghari wrote that for the first time in the country’s history, free electricity units granted to power sector officials had been abolished under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He said the honorable court accepted the Power Division’s petition, paving the way for the termination of the long-standing benefit. The minister said that people had demanded the removal of free electricity units, which had been one of their oldest requests, because their electricity expenses were increasing.
He said the government had been granted the honor of fulfilling this public demand and termed the decision a major step toward fairness and structural reform in the power sector.
The Leghari government will take all necessary steps to improve both the nation and its people, according to Leghari. He said upcoming energy reforms will prioritize three areas, which include transparent operations, financial accountability, and customer cost reductions.
Leghari announced his decision after the Lahore High Court issued a major judgment that affected the free electricity benefits for WAPDA and power sector officers. The court decided that employees cannot lose their free electricity benefits because employers cannot suspend these privileges without proper agreement.
