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ISLAMABAD, Jul 04 (APP): Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) on Friday hosted a high-level consultative meeting with electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and senior government officials to identify strategies for scaling up EV adoption and reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The meeting, chaired by Secretary MoCC&EC Aisha Humera Moriani, focused on expanding EV charging infrastructure, introducing motorcycle retrofitting at scale, and exploring financing options to make electric vehicles more accessible and affordable.
These discussions are part of Pakistan’s efforts to meet its climate targets, which include 30 per cent EV adoption by 2030 as outlined in its 2021 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
“Inadequate EV charging infrastructure, particularly in urban areas, is a major barrier,” Moriani said during the meeting. “Without significant investment in this area, the transition to electric mobility will remain out of reach.”
Senior officials from the Ministry of Industries and Production, Engineering Development Board, and key departments within MoCC&EC attended the session, along with representatives from prominent EV manufacturing and import firms.
Participants highlighted the urgent need for robust policy support and a national-level push to convert Pakistan’s vast fleet of fuel-powered vehicles—especially two- and three-wheelers—to electric.
Pakistan currently has over 37 million fuel-powered vehicles, including nearly 29 million motorcycles running on petrol.
Retrofitting this segment, officials said, could offer a quick and cost-effective path toward emissions reduction. “Standardized retrofitting offers a scalable solution, especially in the motorcycle segment, which dominates Pakistan’s transport landscape,” said Muhammad Asif Sahibzada, Director General (Environment & Climate Change) at MoCC&EC.
Industry stakeholders raised concerns over the high upfront costs of EVs and the lack of adequate charging stations, particularly along highways and in major cities.
They called for incentives and infrastructure development to support sustainable market growth.
To address affordability, the ministry is exploring partnerships with financial institutions to offer consumer-friendly financing for EVs.
At the same time, the government is pushing to shift from reliance on imported Completely Built Units (CBUs) to locally assembled Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicles.
“Encouraging CKD production will lower costs, support domestic industry, and generate green jobs nationwide,” Moriani said.
The Ministry also emphasized the need to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for motorcycle retrofitting to ensure quality, safety, and performance standards, and to provide legal clarity to service providers and consumers alike.