Parliamentary Secretary for Information & Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, who also serves as Secretary of the Parliamentary Forum on Energy & Economy, today commended the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED) for its groundbreaking national study, "Shouting from the Rooftops: Mapping Pakistan's Distributed Solar Power Revolution," stating that it provides the critical evidence needed to steer the country's energy policy.
Speaking at the report's launch event in Islamabad, the Parliamentary Secretary highlighted the stark contrast between official figures and the study's findings. "The official story was 175,000 net-metered systems. The reality, revealed today, is a staggering over 33 gigawatts of solar capacity; a figure that surpasses our entire national peak grid demand," he stated. "This is not a state-led program; this is a silent, grassroots revolution, driven by the resilience and innovation of our people taking charge of their energy future."
In his dual capacity as both Parliamentary Secretary and Secretary of the Energy Forum, Barrister Chaudhry emphasized that while this citizen-led transition is commendable, the report also serves as a crucial alarm on energy equity. "We must ensure this solar revolution is not just for the rich. Our policy focus must now sharply pivot towards making solar accessible and affordable for farmers, small businesses, and low-income households through innovative financing and fair regulatory frameworks," he asserted. "This is our definitive path to tackling both energy poverty and the circular debt crisis."
The launch event featured insightful sessions and remarks from a wide array of experts and dignitaries. The proceedings were opened by Muhammad Badar Alam, CEO of PRIED. Key findings were presented by PRIED researchers Manzoor Ahmed, Muqaddas Ashiq, and Rimsha Rehan, followed by a technical analysis on satellite mapping by Max Santos, a Data Scientist from Transition Zero.
A comprehensive panel discussion included esteemed experts Syed Faizan Ali Shah, an Independent Energy Consultant; Mr. Ather Rehman, Deputy Director of NEPRA; Arqam Ilyas from LESCO; Umer Iftikhar from PESCO; Hasnat Khan, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Solar Association; Shaheera Tahir, a Researcher at PRIED; Salman Gul and Saeed Ahmed from ISMO; and Aqeel Jafeeri, D.G International cooperation/Policy at PPIB, Uner khan, Joint director planning and procurement PPIB and Asad Ullah Chaudhary from NTDC.
The event also featured key remarks from Sher Ali Arbab, Co-conveners of the Parliamentary Forum on Energy & Economy, and Asif Khan, Member of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ceremony was concluded with an address by the Chief Guest, Dr. Shezza Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, Minister of State on Climate Change.
