Pakistan expands electric vehicle push, reports progress on polio eradication

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting focused on promoting electric vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan, alongside a separate review session on the country’s polio eradication efforts, highlighting two key policy priorities of the government.

During the EV meeting, the prime minister announced that government employees from Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 1 to 16 will be provided electric bikes on easy installment plans to encourage adoption of clean transport. Officials briefed the meeting that Pakistan aims to shift 30% of its vehicle fleet to electric power within the next five years, a transition expected to save approximately $4.5 billion in fuel imports.

The government is also accelerating infrastructure development for EVs. So far, 72 manufacturing certifications have been issued for electric motorcycles and rickshaws, along with four certifications for electric cars. In addition, 123 applications have been received for establishing electric vehicle charging stations across the country.

PTI Mardan Rally: Mahmood Achakzai Likely to Skip Event

The prime minister directed authorities to speed up implementation of all ongoing EV-related initiatives to support cleaner energy and reduce dependency on imported fuel.

In a separate meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating polio from Pakistan, calling it a national priority. Officials reported encouraging progress, with only one polio case recorded in 2026 so far, compared to 74 cases in 2024 and 31 in 2025, reflecting a steady decline.

No new cases have been reported this year from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, or Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The number of affected districts has also dropped significantly, while national vaccination coverage remains at 98%.

Authorities noted improvements in high-risk regions, including reduced virus detection in environmental samples in Karachi and a sharp decline in affected areas in Bannu. The government is also working to integrate immunization programmes with social protection initiatives to strengthen outreach and improve vaccination coverage.