Lahore:
The Punjab government has launched financial incentives according to Chief Minister’s Green Credit program for citizens to switch from gasoline to electric motorcycles.
Qualified persons can earn up to RS100,000 by participating in the initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transport.
According to the program manager, Rizwana Anjum, the scheme offers a green credit of up to RS100,000 for those who buy electric motorcycles and register on Chief Minister Punjab Green Credit Program Web Portal.
She shared that the government is aiming to convert 2,000 petrol motorcycles and 250 other vehicles to electrical alternatives in the current financial year. This shift is expected to reduce the annual carbon emissions by 8,000 tonnes. The wider goal is to cut transport emissions by 20 percent by 2030 by switching 30% of the province’s transport fleet to electric vehicles.
The official revealed that the program includes 35 citizen -driven initiatives through which they could help reduce carbon emissions and earn credits in return. The initiatives include everyday practice that supports environmental sustainability.
“During Pakistan’s international climate commitments, 30% of the transport sector must switch to electric vehicles by 2030,” she said. “To support this, citizens are offered who still use gasoline motorcycles, incentives to switch to electric bikes and earn rewards.”
Explaining the process said Rizwana Anjum that citizens who bought an electric bicycle after December 2024 can register on the portal.
They must submit information, including the bicycle’s purchase date, company and model, registration number, chassis number, a copy of the registration book and photographs of the vehicle. A program representative will visit the applicant for verification, after which the recipient receives a first payment of RS50,000.
An additional RS50,000 can be obtained by attaching the electric bicycle with the green credit mobile application. Riders who complete 6,000 kilometers traveling within six months of registration are eligible for the second installment.
Officials at Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) clarified that retrofitting old petrol bikes with electric engines or batteries did not qualify for the program. Only citizens who buy a new electric motorcycle and register it through the program are entitled to the financial incentive.
Central Asian tour
A 15-member group of cyclists has offset a tourism and cultural expedition to Central Asia to strengthen tourist tape among Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tadsjikistan and Uzbekistan.
Cyclists were seen by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) CEO Dr. Nasir Mehmood from Gaddafi Stadium.
Group leader Mukarram Tareen said the journey will span 23 days and cover about 5,000 kilometers and cross historic, cultural and natural landmarks over Afghanistan, Tadsjikistan and Uzbekistan.
“Our route will take us from Islamabad to Kabul, Kandahar, Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent. We plan to stay in these cities and engage in the local communities. The core purpose of this expedition is to promote peaceful relations, regional friendship and cultural harmony,” Tareen said.
A group member, Nazar Saeed Khan, emphasized that the overland route to Central Asian Republics has long been inactive. “We aim to connect again with cyclists in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and invite them to visit Pakistan. Such exchanges can increase tourism and provide opportunities to experience each other’s cultures from the first hand,” he added.
