Karachi: Malik Khuda Bakhsh, Convener of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Energy Committee, has voiced strong support for the National Electric Vehicle (NEV) Policy 30-2025, unveiled recently by the Pakistani government. The policy, presented by Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries & Production, is being hailed as a major stride towards achieving a cleaner and more sustainable transport system in the country.
The NEV policy aligns with Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif's vision of promoting environmentally friendly and cost-effective transportation. Malik Khuda Bakhsh highlighted the policy's ambitious target of having 30% of new vehicles sold in Pakistan be electric by 2030. This shift is projected to save approximately 2.07 billion liters of fuel annually, translating to nearly $1 billion in foreign exchange savings.
The initiative is also expected to slash carbon emissions by 4.5 million tons each year and reduce health-related expenditures by $405 million annually. Notably, the policy allocates 25% of the government-designated subsidy to women, facilitating their access to safe and eco-friendly travel options, contingent upon ensuring transparency.
In alignment with the policy, the government plans to install 40 new electric vehicle charging stations along motorways, with a spacing of approximately 105 kilometers between them. The policy further includes battery swapping systems, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) schemes, and mandatory charging points in new urban building codes to bolster electric vehicle adoption.
Malik Khuda Bakhsh emphasized the importance of incentivizing local manufacturing to ensure vehicle parts can be produced domestically. He urged the government to introduce a special package for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and stressed the need for facilitating foreign investment, given the interest of international investors in Pakistan's electric vehicle sector.
The installation of EV charging stations has commenced in Karachi and other regions, with a contract signed with a Chinese company to enhance energy supply for vehicles. Additionally, CNG station owners in Sindh, including Motorway, Nawabshah, Hala, Sukkur, and Hyderabad, have expressed interest in setting up EV charging stations, with further agreements anticipated.