The Pakistani government has announced an ambitious plan to distribute over 100,000 Chinese-made electric bikes and more than 300,000 electric loaders and rickshaws to young people under a government-backed initiative. The program aims to reduce the country’s fuel import bill, protect the environment, and create new job opportunities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while chairing a policy meeting on Friday, emphasized that the program is a key move toward economic independence and environmental sustainability. He noted that electric vehicles would significantly cut foreign exchange spending, encourage local production, and provide new income sources.
This electric vehicle (EV) initiative, which relies heavily on Chinese-manufactured technology, forms part of Pakistan’s broader strategy to shift to cleaner energy. It also aligns with CPEC’s environmentally focused infrastructure development.
Among the main features of the program are free electric bikes for top-performing students across all educational boards, subsidized e-loaders and rickshaws for unemployed youth to support self-employment, a 25% quota for women to promote gender inclusion, and an increased 10% allocation for Balochistan to support balanced provincial development.
The meeting also highlighted plans for third-party audits to maintain transparency, adherence to safety protocols, and a public outreach campaign to raise awareness.
Officials shared that four new battery production companies, in collaboration with Chinese partners, are launching operations in Pakistan, which is expected to spur job creation and facilitate the transfer of advanced technology.
The initiative is being praised as a transformative step for urban mobility in Pakistan, especially in cities like Gwadar and Quetta, where CPEC-driven infrastructure and energy improvements are laying the foundation for modern, sustainable transportation systems.
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