It is quite intriguing to learn that while the federal government is encouraging people to generate power through alternative energy sources to cut dependence on costly fuel and the prime minister has removed the 17 percent general sales tax on solar panels and the penalty for solar energy.
The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Karachi has sent notices and imposed financial penalties on many of its residents for violation of its building control regulations by installing solar panels on their rooftops. The residents of DHA are understandably angry about receiving notices and imposed fines for allegedly violating its construction laws by installing elevated steel structures for solar panels on their rooftops.
Interestingly, the DHA itself allowed them to install solar panels. But taking a U-Turn and penalty for Solar energy is now threatening to penalize them. The residents point out that they did not question this earlier. And now all of a sudden they are expected to cough up refurbishment charges. That may amount to hundreds of thousands of rupees.
The residents suspect that it was a trap cleverly set. By the DHA otherwise, how could this sudden reversal of policy explain? That continued for the last six years? The impression is growing strong. That the DHA is a willful and arbitrary agency that can do as it pleases. The Weekender
