KARACHI: The federal government has accepted the resignation of Mathar Niaz Rana, Member Tariff at the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), following growing dissatisfaction with his performance from both within the government and the energy sector.
Rana, a former top bureaucrat who previously served as Chief Secretary in Balochistan, resigned four months before completing his term. His appointment had been made on Balochistan’s recommendation, but insiders say that his extension was unlikely due to mounting criticism over his handling of key regulatory matters.
While no formal reason was cited in his resignation, officials close to the development described the move as politically charged. The resignation comes at a time when Pakistan’s power sector is struggling to recover from chronic issues and is under pressure to reform in line with International Monetary Fund (IMF) mandates.
One major point of contention during Rana’s tenure was the repeated failure of the Muzaffargarh solar power project. Despite being a flagship renewable energy initiative, the project faced delays since 2021. The first bidding round in May 2023 received no interest, with stakeholders blaming NEPRA’s low benchmark tariff—an issue attributed directly to Rana’s indecision.
His exit highlights ongoing tensions between regulatory inertia and the need for swift reforms to stabilize and modernize Pakistan’s power sector.
