Off-the-grid levy on gas-based CPPs: Govt moves copy of proposed bill in Senate

ISLAMABAD: The government, Wednesday, moved a copy of the - Off the Grid (Captive Power Plants) Levy Bill 2025 - a money bill that provides for imposing an off the grid levy on natural gas based captive power plants.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, in his additional official capacity as Leader of the House in Senate, moved a copy of the bill on the maiden day of the Senate’s 350th session.

Taking the floor, Dar sought the permission of Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan, who was chairing the session, to lay a copy of the bill in the House, as required under Article 73 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which, the chair granted.

The bill aims to impose an off the grid levy on natural gas based captive power plants, Dar said.

Zeeshan Khanzada from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) objected to laying the money’s bill copy in the House, keeping in view that Senate’s Wednesday business was a condolence reference for late former senator Sajid Mir.

In response, Law Minister Azam Tarar, as well as the leader of the house, and the deputy chairman Senate, insisted that the matter was already taken care of in the Senate House Business Advisory Committee.

“This issue is already settled in the House Business Advisory Committee,” said the law minister.

Dar said the Senate can deal with a money bill only in advisory capacity. “Nothing is going to happen—you only have to give recommendations—you can’t even vote on this bill,” he told the PTI senator.

“It is obligatory on all of us to follow the decisions taken in the House Business Advisory Committee—otherwise, the sanctity of this committee would stand violated,” Dar said.

“Your parliamentary leader was in the House Business Advisory Committee where this issue was resolved,” the deputy chairman told Khanzada.

Dar then moved a bill’s copy in the Senate, which was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue.

The deputy chairman Senate directed the senators to give their recommendations, if any, regarding the bill, latest by 10 am Thursday (May 15). The chair directed the committee to present its report by today.

The Upper House of the Parliament can hold extensive debate on a money bill and devise recommendations accordingly — but it has no significant role in the related legislation — since it is completely up to the National Assembly to either completely or partially accept those recommendations or reject them—partially or completely.

Article 73 of the constitution, which deals with parliamentary business with respect to money bills, reads, a money bill shall “originate in the National Assembly: Provided that simultaneously when a money bill — is presented in the National Assembly, a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the Senate, which may - make recommendations thereon to the National Assembly.”

Earlier, senators from different political parties paid homage to Mir, the late former senator, who belonged to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N). The House also passed a unanimous resolution, moved by the law minister, in recognition of Mir’s services.

The House was adjourned till Thursday.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025