Over 100 EV charging stations licensed, NA body told

More than 100 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been licensed across Pakistan, while all new petrol stations in Islamabad will be required to install EV charging facilities, officials informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Monday

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2026) More than 100 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been licensed across Pakistan, while all new petrol stations in Islamabad will be required to install EV charging facilities, officials informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Monday.

The committee, chaired by acting chairperson Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, reviewed Pakistan's Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination's Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2026-27.

Officials from the Ministry of Industries and Production and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination said the EV policy, developed by the Engineering Development Board in consultation with development partners, think tanks and universities, seeks to accelerate electric mobility through incentives for electric two- and three-wheelers, expansion of charging infrastructure, localisation of manufacturing and reduced dependence on imported components.

Committee members sought clarification on the availability of charging stations, affordability of electric vehicles, battery recycling mechanisms, incentives for manufacturers, indigenous production of spare parts and the long-term sustainability of the country's transition to electric mobility.

Officials also said a comprehensive battery policy and recycling framework had been prepared and was awaiting approval.

Members were further briefed on the Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) programme and additional proposals under consideration, including facilitation schemes for government employees in Basic Pay Scales (BPS) 1 to 16 and skill-development initiatives to support the growing EV sector.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik briefed the committee on the ministry's PSDP for 2026-27, saying it had prioritised projects of national significance despite fiscal constraints. He said new initiatives included the establishment of a botanical garden and projects to improve air quality, with options for private-sector participation being explored.

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The minister also highlighted completed projects, including the Pakistan Biosafety Clearing House, established to fulfil the country's reporting obligations under the Cartagena Protocol and strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as a water-quality initiative under which laboratories and testing facilities had been made operational, including under the WASH programme.

The ministry informed the committee that recent regulatory decisions on genetically modified soybean and canola had supported the poultry sector and would continue to be guided by scientific evidence and food security considerations while remaining aligned with stringent international standards, including those of the European Union.

Members also expressed concern over water pollution and environmental degradation in the Islamabad Capital Territory, particularly contaminated water sources and untreated wastewater flowing into natural streams. Officials said action was being taken against illegal discharges and that a sewage treatment facility at Korang Nullah was under development to reduce pollution entering Rawal Dam.

The committee also reviewed institutional coordination on climate financing, green taxonomy, international partnerships and the formulation of new National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which officials said were expected to be finalised later this year with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank.

The committee recommended that the ministry present a comprehensive briefing on Pakistan's policy framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and biosafety. It also directed the ministry to provide complete details of all laboratories certified to conduct vehicle emissions testing and submit a detailed report on the demarcation and legal boundaries of the Margalla Hills National Park.

The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, Musarrat Asif Khawaja (via video link), Shaista Khan, Syeda Shehla Raza, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Rana Ansar, Tamkeen Akhter Niazi and Shahida Rehmani, along with senior officials from the relevant ministries, departments and the Capital Development Authority.