PM directs to present model plan to promote e-vehicles 

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday directed to present a model financial plan for the promotion of electric vehicles in the country.

An important meeting regarding the use of electric vehicles was held under the chairmanship of Shehbaz Sharif, in which he was briefed.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister said that the government is taking priority measures for the promotion of electric vehicles in the country.

He directed to present a comprehensive financial model regarding electric vehicles, saying that electric vehicles will not only save valuable foreign exchange in terms of importing petrol and diesel, but these vehicles will also be environment friendly.

Shehbaz also directed consultation with the Federal Ministry of Finance and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in this regard. The Prime Minister ordered to improve the regulation of licenses regarding the production of e-vehicles in the country.

The Prime Minister said that all provinces, federal units, and stakeholders should be consulted regarding the policy of e-vehicles. E-motorcycles will be distributed to the good-performing students of government schools on the pattern of the laptop scheme.

Prime Minister while giving instructions to all federal ministries said that in the future only electric motorbikes will be purchased for all federal government institutions to save the national exchequer.

He directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to prepare a comprehensive plan for electrified public transport in Islamabad.

During the meeting, in the briefing regarding the promotion of the use of e-vehicles in the country, it was stated that since 2022 till now, 49 licenses have been issued for the production of two and three-wheeled electric vehicles at the local level, of which 25 manufacturing of these vehicles has already started in the factories.

The briefing informed that the first license for local production of four-wheeler electric vehicles was issued in September 2024. The first domestically produced electric car will hit the market by December 2024. Currently, the number of electric vehicles running on two and three wheels in the country is 45,000, while the number of four wheels electric vehicles is 2,600.

The briefing further informed that recharge stations for electric vehicles will be set up on a priority basis on motorways, GT Road (National Highway 5), National Highway 65 and 70.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Power Owais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervez Malik, Prime Minister's Coordinator for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam, Prime Minister's Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal and relevant senior government officials participated.