Prime Minister's Advisor on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said that efforts are being paced up to implement the country's electric vehicle policy, because it aims to open up new vistas of economic, employment and environmental opportunities as well as benefits.
Addressing a high-level Inter-Ministerial Meeting on Electric Vehicle Policy, He said further that policy and economic incentives will also be extended to the auto manufacturing sector to produce electric vehicles locally.
Held here at the Ministry of Climate Change, the high-level intern-ministerial meeting attended by the representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Production, Ministry of Finance, Auto Industry Development Committee (AIDC), Pakistan Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (Papaam), Engineering Development Board (EDB).
The meeting agenda included discussing and finalising the modalities regarding 2-3 wheelers, its import, manufacturing infrastructure and parts with all relevant stakeholders including AIDC and Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAPAAM) and send them to Economic Coordinating Committee (ECC)for approval.
Listing benefits the prime minister's advisor said that possible benefits of EV penetration include decrease in emissions from transport sector, reduction in fuel import bill, saving of exchequer and enabling the localisation of EV manufacturing, enabling Pakistan to become part of the global value chain of EV manufacturing.
It was unanimously agreed upon at the meeting that for two and three wheelers and buses incentive package was in order and suggested by the meeting participants the same may be submitted to ECC for approval.
The meeting participants called for further stakeholder consultations , for four wheeler electric vehicles.
The participants said that standardisation was an area, where parameters needed to be chalked out.
It was also decided by the meeting that a sub-committee will be established to chalk out parameters for standardization and finalization of recommendations for the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) for two and three wheeler electric vehicles. However, the Ministry of Industries & Production was requested to discuss the proposed incentives structure with AIDC and PAPAAM etc. and convey their suggestions/ input for 2-3 wheelers within a week’s time and for four wheelers within 15 days.
Meanwhile the prime minister's advisor Malik Amin Aslam, who chaired the meeting, said, policy will focus on encourage manufacturing of electric vehicles locally and we will promote made-in-Pakistan tagline in this regard," the prime minister's advisor on climate change said.
He, thus, invited the AIDC and PAPAAM through Ministry of Industries for consultative meetings with the existing automobile manufacturers to address their concerns, if any and, to finalise further details including the phasing/ time frame for various actions and to submit incentive structure proposed in the policy for consideration of ECC.
The prime minister's advisor told participants that Pakistan is the second country in the region to formulate and approve its EV Policy and said that is the Government of Pakistan’s EV Policy and consideration of the ministry of industry and production IP would be incorporated in the Policy, if any.
The meeting participants appreciated the efforts of the present government for promoting electric vehicles in the country through a policy framework in consolation with all relevant stakeholders that offers myriad benefits that will enable the country to become part of the global value chain of the electric vehicle manufacturing.
The representative from Pakistan Engineering Council at the meeting suggested considering of the capacity-building through arrangement of technical training prorammes of the skilled technicians working in auto manufacturing sector by including key components of EV development skills in the training programmes and incentives to be offered to the existing EV manufactures as well as new entrants.
On the other hand, the representative of Science & Technology ministry opined that Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) could help in standardization of EV parts as envisaged in the Policy. However, it should also be taken on board as far as implementation of the EV policy is concerned.
The representative of Federal Bureau of Revenue proposed 10% Custom duty on 2-3 wheelers under incentive package based on some time frame rather than number of EVs.
Representatives from the Green Wheels Private Limited working on EVs also attended the meeting and highly appreciated the EV Policy and offered their support to implement the said policy in letter and spirit. They, however, pointed out that billions of rupees could be saved through this technology and provided a view from the perspective of private sector for the penetration of EVs.
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