Key Points
- PM directs govt-level plan to make EVs accessible to public
- Announces to provide electric bikes to top-performing students
- Govt targets to increase share of EVs in auto sales to 30% by 2030
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that encouraging the use of electric vehicles (EVs) will help save billions of dollars in valuable foreign exchange spent on fuel and promote the local industry.
The prime minister said this while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad on Friday to review the promotion of electric vehicles in the country, according to the PM’s office.
The meeting was briefed on the current state of the EV industry in Pakistan and government initiatives to improve public access to electric vehicles. It was shared that the government is working to facilitate the acquisition of electric bikes, rickshaws, and loaders through low-cost, soft loans. More than 100,000 electric bikes and over 3,000 rickshaws and loaders will be made available to the public under affordable and accessible terms with government support.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his remarks, said that encouraging electric vehicles will help save billions of dollars in valuable foreign exchange spent on fuel, support environmental protection, and boost local industry. He announced that the government would provide electric bikes to top-performing students from all educational boards across Pakistan, including the Federal Board.
To promote employment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the government would prioritise the provision of electric rickshaws and loaders to unemployed individuals. He also instructed the relevant authorities to take steps towards establishing a comprehensive ecosystem for the domestic manufacturing and maintenance of electric vehicles.
To ensure transparency, the Prime Minister directed that the entire process of electric vehicle distribution and government support be subjected to third-party validation. He stressed that economically disadvantaged individuals must be given precedence under the government’s electric vehicle promotion and support scheme.
Shehbaz Sharif further called for a public awareness campaign to educate citizens about the government’s initiative for acquiring electric vehicles. He emphasised that all electric bikes, rickshaws, and loaders provided under the proposed scheme must adhere to high standards of quality and safety.
The meeting was informed that top-performing students at the intermediate level across all educational boards, including the Federal Board, will receive free electric bikes under the scheme. It was told that a 25 percent special quota has been allocated for women, while quotas for other provinces have been set according to population ratios. The Prime Minister directed that Balochistan’s quota be increased to 10 percent.
It was further apprised that four new battery manufacturing companies are launching their operations in Pakistan as a result of this initiative, creating new business opportunities and employment.
Last month, Pakistan introduced its new Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2025–2030, aiming for electric vehicles to account for 30 percent of all new vehicle sales by 2030. The policy, which includes cars, buses, motorcycles, and rickshaws, seeks to accelerate the country’s transition to sustainable transportation, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
