A Senate committee has called on the government to speed up the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure across Pakistan. In a meeting chaired by Senator Aon Abbas, the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production emphasized the urgency of climate change and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The members warned that without swift action, environmental challenges would worsen.
The committee noted the serious lack of EV charging stations, even in major cities like Lahore, and pointed out the situation is worse in remote areas. The Engineering Development Board (EDP) informed the committee that a complete EV policy has already been prepared. However, the policy is awaiting a meeting slot with the prime minister for official presentation.
To ensure progress, the committee decided to send a formal letter to the prime minister requesting time for the EDP’s policy briefing. In addition, a subcommittee headed by Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee will be formed to recommend further improvements to the proposed EV policy. The aim is to create a more practical and widespread adoption framework for EVs across Pakistan.
The meeting also reviewed the history and role of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). Members were briefed that at the time of independence, Pakistan lacked an industrial base, owning only 34 of the 921 industrial units across the subcontinent. The country had significant raw materials, especially in jute and cotton, but lacked the capacity to process them.
The committee was told that while East Pakistan produced 70% of the world’s jute, there wasn’t a single jute mill at the time. Likewise, the West could only process a fraction of its cotton. These insights highlighted the long-standing industrial challenges Pakistan continues to address, reinforcing the need for strategic, forward-looking policies like EV infrastructure development.