Govt Scraps Free Electricity Units for Power Sector Employees

Ending free units was public’s oldest, long-standing demand: Leghari

ISLAMABAD: In a praiseworthy-move, the federal government has abolished the free electricity units facility for power sector employees.

In a post on X, Power Minister Awais Leghari said for the first time in the country's history, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, free units for power sector staff have been ended. He added that Lahore High Court accepted the Power Division's petition.

Leghari further said ending free units was the public’s oldest and long-standing demand. The minister maintained that government will take every step necessary for the collective betterment of the country.

A day ago, Leghari had apologised to the nation for the widespread outages and load-shedding across the country, saying the crisis was caused by disruptions in LNG supplies due to the Middle East situation and other factors, adding that conditions would improve once supply lines reopened.

The country is currently facing a worsening electricity crisis, with the overall power shortfall reaching 6,500 megawatts (MW), leading to prolonged load-shedding in several regions and mounting public frustration.

According to media reports, total electricity demand has surged to around 22,000MW, while generation remains limited to 15,400MW. The current energy mix comprises 1,500MW from hydropower, 9,250MW from thermal sources, 1,200MW from wind,