The government will offer electric bicycles at low rates to employees up to the 16th grade

Government employees up to class 16 will be provided with electric bikes on easy installments as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed that efforts to speed up adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country be stepped up.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a meeting in Islamabad to review the promotion of electric vehicles in the country.

“In view of the current regional situation and future needs, the promotion of electric vehicles will not only reduce the burden of fuel imports, but also play a key role in environmental protection and energy security,” he said.

The Premier further directed that transparency should be ensured in the subsidy for electric motorcycles for low-income earners under the National Electric Vehicle Policy and that the implementation of this scheme be expedited.”

The meeting was briefed on ongoing initiatives to promote the adoption of electric cars nationwide. It was reported that 72 manufacturing certificates had been issued for electric motorcycles and rickshaws, and four for electric cars.

The meeting was also told that a total of 123 applications had been received to date for the establishment of charging stations for electric cars, and there were plans for 30 percent of the vehicles in the country to be electric within the next five years, which could result in fuel savings of approximately $4.5 billion.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers including climate minister Musadik Malik, planning minister Ahsan Iqbal, finance minister Aurangzeb, information minister Attaullah Tarar, energy minister Awais Leghari and state finance minister Bilal Azhar Kayani along with senior officials.

As part of efforts to promote electric vehicles, the Islamabad Capital Police on April 6 inducted eco-smart electric vehicles into its fleet, with 15 battery-powered vehicles supplied by the Ministry of Interior and more expected to follow.

Prime Minister Shehbaz had said the vehicles run solely on batteries without petrol or oil, adding that such initiatives would help ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

He noted that work on fuel efficiency and electric car policy had begun before the current regional situation, which ultimately led to the procurement of the new fleet. The offer of environmentally smart electric cars is part of the Prime Minister’s broader vision and the government’s energy-saving policy.