PM Shehbaz announces free EV bikes for students

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced free EV bikes for students across the country and directed concerned officials to formulate a detailed strategy to enhance public access to electric vehicles (EVs),, Radio Pakistan reported.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting in Islamabad aimed at advancing the adoption of electric vehicles nationwide. He said that promoting electric vehicles will conserve billions in foreign exchange spent on fuel, aid environmental protection, and strengthen local industries.

PM Shehbaz announced that the federal government will distribute EV bikes to high-achieving students from all educational boards across Pakistan, including the Federal Board.

EV bikes, rickshaws on soft loans

To boost employment, he said that a scheme is also under consideration to provide electric rickshaws and loaders for unemployed individuals. He also directed authorities to take measures to develop a comprehensive ecosystem for the production and maintenance of electric vehicles within Pakistan.

To ensure transparency, the prime minister directed that the entire process of electric vehicle distribution and government support be subject to third-party validation. He emphasized that economically disadvantaged individuals should be given priority in the government’s electric vehicle promotion and support scheme.

PM Shehbaz also called for a public awareness campaign to inform citizens about the government’s support scheme for acquiring electric vehicles. He stressed that all electric bikes, rickshaws, and loaders provided under the proposed scheme must meet high standards of quality and safety.

The meeting was briefed on the current state of the EV industry in Pakistan and government initiatives to improve public access to electric vehicles.

It was shared that the government is working to facilitate the acquisition of electric bikes, rickshaws, and loaders through low-cost, soft loans. More than 100,000 electric bikes and over 3,000 rickshaws and loaders will be made available to the public under affordable and accessible terms with government support.

The meeting was informed that top-performing students at the intermediate level across all educational boards, including the Federal Board, will receive free electric bikes under the scheme.

It was told that a 25 percent special quota has been allocated for women, while quotas for other provinces have been set according to population ratios. The Prime Minister directed that Balochistan’s quota be increased to 10 percent.

It was further apprised that four new battery manufacturing companies are launching their operations in Pakistan as a result of this initiative, creating new business opportunities and employment.

The prime minister directed to launch the scheme based on these proposals at the earliest.