Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : All Pakistan Solar Association has demanded the Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of ill working in the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and stop illegal issuance of net metering licenses for solar systems at Rs. 20 to 40 thousand which is harming this sector very badly.
This appeal was made in a well-attended special meeting of All Pakistan Solar Association held here in a local hotel with its president Farhan Ahmed in the chair. President of Rawalpindi/Islamabad chapter of the association Faheem Ashraf, Ejaz Ahmed, Umer Yaseen Raja and other office bearers and members were present on the occasion.
They said under the vision of the Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Alternative Energy Development Board was established for promoting alternative and environment friendly solar energy systems in the country. It did a good job initially but over the past six months it has become a hotbed of corruption as net metering licenses are being sold illegally for Rs. 20 to 40 thousand coupled with involving the nonprofessionals in the business. The state of affairs like this is harming the solar energy sector and net metering very badly and demanding an emergent interference on the part of the Prime Minister Imran Khan. They demanded the Prime Minister to re-appoint Atif shahzad on the vacant post of Director Net Metering in AEDB who earlier worked tirelessly with the spirit of national service and gave a boost to the solar sector. The office bearers of the association added that with perfect ability and honesty, Atif Shahzad had increased the trend of net metering and reduced the prices of standard solar systems by up to 50% who was removed from the post on the behest of some corrupt elements. He said Atif Shahzad was the same officer who saved the country from a loss of Rs. 250 crore by refusing to buy substandard transformers from China despite a big offer.
They said that in the absence of Director Net Metering, licenses of Net Metering are being awarded to the companies which have nothing to do with solar and due to this the development of solar energy systems is facing great loss. They said that the only solution to the serious problems being faced by the solar energy sector at present is to re-appoint the said officer as a net metering director in AEDB. They mentioned that the people belonging to the energy sector and acquaintances of his own department are convinced that Atif Shahzad is an honest officer whose services are required in AEDB.