PM Shehbaz emphasises comprehensive plan to make EVs accessible for all

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed to formulate a comprehensive government-level strategy to make electric vehicles (EVs) more accessible to the common citizen, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.

Presiding a meeting in Islamabad regarding encouraging usage of EVs in the country, PM Shehbaz emphasised that encouraging electric vehicles in Pakistan will result in billions of dollars saved in fuel import costs, environmental protection, and the growth of local industry.

He announced that the federal government, including the federal educational board and all other educational boards across the country, will provide electric bikes to top-performing students.

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The prime minister further stated that the government will prioritise employment generation by providing electric rickshaws and loaders vehicles to unemployed individuals.

To support the local EV industry, the premier instructed the development of a complete ecosystem for the manufacturing and maintenance of EVs within Pakistan.

He also called for third-party validation of the EV distribution process and government support mechanisms, ensuring transparency and efficiency.

The prime minister emphasised that economically disadvantaged individuals should be given priority in accessing EVs under the government assistance scheme.

He ordered the launch of a public awareness campaign about the EV subsidy scheme and ensured that the electric bikes, rickshaws, and loaders distributed through the initiative meet high-quality and safety standards.

A review meeting, chaired by PM Shehbaz, on promoting EVs and government support for their acquisition was participated by federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to PM Haroon Akhtar, Chief Coordinator Mosharraf Zaidi, and senior officials.

The meeting was briefed on current industrial capacity and the government’s ongoing steps to ensure affordability and accessibility of EVs through low-cost loans and flexible terms.

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More than 100,000 electric bikes and over 3,000 rickshaws/loaders will be made available under easy conditions through government support.

Additionally, it was shared that top-performing intermediate students across boards, including the federal board, will receive free electric bikes under the scheme.

A 25% quota has been reserved for women, with remaining provincial quotas to be distributed based on population. The PM directed to increase Balochistan’s quota by 10%.

The scheme is expected to attract at least four new battery manufacturers, which will boost investment, employment, and business opportunities in Pakistan.

The prime minister directed for the swift rollout of the scheme based on these recommendations.