Pakistan’s 30% vehicles to go electric by 2030

Imran Khan calls for coordinated efforts to prevent floods

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed federal and provincial authorities to ensure liaison for taking effective steps to prevent floods in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The prime minister issued this instruction on Friday in a briefing on climate change in the G-B and the AJK during a high-level meeting of the Climate Change Committee.

According to a press release issued by the PM Media Office, “The PM called for vigilant coordination among the authorities to take necessary steps for tackling any situation due to possible floods.”

Imran Khan also directed the Climate Change Ministry to finalise electric vehicle policy in the next two weeks and present it before the federal cabinet for approval.



Earlier, PM's Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam briefed the meeting on the electric vehicle policy.  He said smoke emitting vehicles was a major cause of environmental pollution, particularly in Punjab.

He said the electric vehicles, besides reduction in environmental pollution, would also lessen oil imports and increase business opportunities in the country. “Pakistan will upgrade about 30 per cent of its road vehicles to electric vehicles by 2030,” he later told the media.

The adviser said the world is now moving towards the electric car and that Pakistan would follow suit. “The technology will help cut the demand for oil and we could save about Rs2 billion annually. In addition, pollution will reduce by up to 70 per cent,” he added.

The meeting was also briefed on a strategy to control smog in the province and was informed that Punjab Green Development Programme had started to work in this regard.

Ten smog monitoring centres have been established across the province. The smog working groups have been set up to create awareness among people regarding the preemptive measure.  The meeting was told that the government is guiding the brick kiln owners to adopt modern methods.



A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is going to be signed with a bio-energy company for destruction of crops' residues, the premier was told.  The adviser also briefed the prime minister on 'Ten Billion Trees Tsunami' – government's most important project towards environmental betterment.

“Various proposals were under consideration to gather financial resources of the project which include Green Sukuk, Forest Bonds and the establishment of Green Fund, a Chinese cooperation project.”

He said all legalities have been completed to check plastic bags use in the federal capital. In this regard, a complete ban on the use of plastic bags would be imposed on 14th August this year.

Minister for National Food Security Mehboob Sultan, Minister for Planning Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub, PM's Adviser on Commerce Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to PM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Nadim Afzal Chan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Balochistan CM Jam Kamal Khan, AJK PM Farooq Haider, Gilgit-Baltistan CM Hafeezur Rahman attended the moot.