Pakistan PM pushes electric vehicles to cut fuel imports

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 6 called for the nationwide adoption of environment-friendly electric vehicles (EVs), citing rising global petroleum prices and regional instability as key reasons to reduce Pakistan’s fuel import bill and safeguard foreign exchange reserves.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the handover of eco-smart EVs to the Islamabad Traffic Police in Islamabad, Sharif said energy-efficient initiatives should be replicated by law enforcement agencies and provincial governments across the country, Caliber.Az repoorts via foreign media. 

A total of 15 battery-powered vehicles, provided by the Interior Ministry, were formally inducted into the capital’s traffic police fleet. The prime minister said an additional batch of EVs would be introduced in the near future.

Describing the move as significant, Sharif said reducing reliance on petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles would help ease pressure on Pakistan’s foreign reserves, which are often strained by high energy import costs.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and senior police officials attended the ceremony. Earlier, Islamabad Police Inspector General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi briefed the prime minister on the operational details of the initiative.

According to officials, each EV unit will be staffed by a captain, a male responder, another responder, and a driver, all wearing special uniforms. The vehicles will be deployed on major arteries of the capital to ensure smooth traffic flow and rapid response capability.

Authorities said each vehicle can travel between 350 and 400 kilometres on a full charge. Fast charging takes between 60 and 90 minutes, while standard charging requires six to eight hours.

Officials also stated that each electric vehicle is expected to generate savings of up to 0.55 million Pakistani rupees per month compared with petrol-powered alternatives. Based on these projections, the procurement costs of the EVs could be recovered within 13 to 14 months.

By Sabina Mammadli