Numerous online posts circulate a URL, falsely claiming that individuals can register to receive free solar equipment from the Punjab government under the Punjab Free Solar Panel Scheme.
This claim is debunked.
The circulating URL, “solar-panel-scheme-2024.blogspot.com,” alleges to offer a registration form for a government initiative to distribute free solar panels to Punjab residents using 100-500 electricity units monthly. The form requires participants to submit their name and identity card number by a November 10 deadline.
However, this website is a scam.
The page has spread through WhatsApp groups and social media platforms like X and Facebook. A government official and an independent analyst have verified the URL as fraudulent.
In March, the Punjab government launched the ‘Roshan Gharana Program,’ which aims to provide 50,000 solar systems to low-income families. Yet, Adnan Mudassar, the program’s project director, clarified that registration for the program hasn’t commenced.
“All circulating websites are counterfeit,” he confirmed. “These links do not originate from the government.
Anees Qureshi, an open-source intelligence analyst at Islamabad’s Bytes for All (B4A) noted that similar fraudulent links have previously targeted schemes like Hajj or the Ehsaas program during the pandemic.
