ISLAMABAD – A few days before the presentation of the federal budget 2026-27, the prices of solar panels are rising sharply across the country.
According to market sources, importers and dealers have increased the prices of panels by Rs 8 to Rs 12 per watt in view of the fear of increasing taxes and duties in the budget.
According to market surveys, A-grade 585-watt single-glass solar panels, which were available at Rs 42 per watt last month, are now selling at Rs 50 to 52 per watt. Accordingly, the price of a panel has increased by about Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,500. Prices of double glazed and N-type panels have also increased by 10 per cent.
“Importers have stopped goods ahead of the budget. The volatility in the dollar and the possibility of the end of the sales tax exemption in the budget have increased prices,” said Haji Saleem, a dealer at Karachi Wholesale Market. A dealer on Hall Road in Lahore said that consumers are buying now to avoid further inflation after the budget.
Domestic and commercial consumers are worried about the price hike. Irfan Khan, a resident of Rawalpindi, said he had planned to install a 5 kW system, but the cost of the system had increased by Rs 60,000 in a week. Solar installation companies say new orders have fallen by 30% in the last 10 days.
According to energy expert Dr Waqar Ali, if the 18 per cent sales tax on solar panels is restored in the budget, prices could rise by another 15 to 20 per cent. He called on the government to maintain tax exemption on solar to promote alternative energy. Expectations from the budget
The federal budget will be presented on June 10, 2026. The solar industry expects the government to maintain the existing tax exemptions on solar panels, inverters and batteries under the green energy policy.
However, prices have already risen due to uncertainty in the market. Consumers and installers have appealed to the government to provide relief to the solar sector in the budget so that alternative energy can be available to the people suffering from load shedding and expensive electricity.
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