PNN:PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday unveiled a package of relief measures to boost industry and promote export-led growth. The government reduced electricity tariffs for industrial consumers by Rs4.04 per unit, cut wheeling charges to Rs9 per unit to enable power sales to nearby units, and lowered the Export Financing Scheme rate for exporters from 7.5% to 4.5%.
Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad honoring the country’s top businessmen and exporters, the Prime Minister said, “If it were up to me, I would have reduced it by another Rs10, but my hands are tied.”
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders. Awards were presented to top exporters and business figures for their performance in 2024 and 2025. In a special gesture, the Prime Minister announced that recipients of the awards will receive blue passports with a two-year validity, designating them as “ambassadors at large” to promote Pakistan’s economic interests abroad.
Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that the measures are designed to strengthen the export sector and industrial growth. He urged the business community to invest in export-led projects to enhance growth and increase foreign exchange earnings. He also highlighted the need to channel capital into Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to further boost exports.
“Pakistan has become a stable economy, and we must now move towards sustainable growth,” he said, expressing full confidence in the potential of the business community to transform the country’s economy in the coming years. He assured that proposals from entrepreneurs will receive due consideration, noting that several suggestions have already been implemented, generating billions of rupees in savings.
Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan echoed the Prime Minister’s message, saying an export-led economy is being promoted and that Pakistan has emerged from economic turmoil, restoring confidence among exporters in government policies.
Electricity consumers may face an additional 48 paisa per unit under the Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) for December 2025. Data from the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) shows that electricity consumption increased by 22%, driven primarily by the industrial and agricultural sectors. Industrial usage rose from 2 billion units in December 2024 to 2.4 billion units in December 2025.
At a NEPRA hearing on Thursday, industrial representatives criticised the proposed FCA increase, saying electricity prices are already high and further adjustments would hurt competitiveness. One representative said, “Instead of reducing power prices, a hidden increase is being imposed. Industry cannot survive under the current tariff structure.”
Power sector officials stated that while the FCA may rise in the short term due to reduced hydel generation in winter, quarterly adjustments are expected to fall in coming months, providing some relief.