On Thursday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, formally unveiled the National Electric Vehicle (NEV) Policy 2025-30, describing it as a pivotal and transformative milestone in Pakistan’s industrial, environmental, and energy reforms, marking significant progress in the country’s advancement.

Haroon Akhtar Khan announced an initial subsidy of Rs9 billion for the fiscal year 2025-26, which will support the purchase of 116,053 electric bikes and 3,171 electric rickshaws. Notably, 25% of this subsidy is reserved for women, aiming to provide them with safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly mobility options.

He also revealed plans to install 40 new EV charging stations along motorways, with an average distance of 105 kilometres between them. To support this initiative, a fully digital platform has been introduced to ensure transparent online application submission, verification, and disbursement of subsidies.

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production emphasised that the transport sector is a major contributor to carbon emissions, making reforms in this area essential. He explained that the new EV policy aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of promoting clean, sustainable, and affordable transportation while encouraging local industry and protecting the environment.

A key objective of the policy is to ensure that electric vehicles make up 30% of all new vehicle sales in Pakistan by 2030. This shift is expected to save approximately 2.07 billion litres of fuel annually, translating to nearly $1 billion in foreign exchange savings. The policy also aims to reduce carbon emissions by 4.5 million tonnes and cut health-related costs by $405 million each year.