The federal government is extending its Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification programme to nearly 100,000 government employees, offering electric bikes with an Rs80,000 subsidy per unit under an installment-based financing arrangement, as part of a broader push to accelerate electric vehicle adoption across Pakistan and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel. Government employees whose salaries are processed through the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues will be eligible for the scheme, with applicants required to submit an AGPR verification letter, and no personal guarantees will be needed to qualify. Under the scheme, 116,000 electric motorcycles will be subsidised during the ongoing fiscal year, with a subsidy of Rs80,000 per motorcycle, and the government has allocated Rs100 billion for the electric bike and rickshaw scheme over the next five years, with Rs9 billion earmarked for the current fiscal year.
Subsidies of up to Rs80,000 per electric bike are being transferred directly to approved applicants through the State Bank of Pakistan, with financing for electric bikes facilitated through bank leasing arrangements. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting on electric mobility chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where officials outlined plans to transition 30 percent of vehicles to electric power within five years, with authorities saying the shift is expected to reduce fuel imports by around $4.5 billion while also supporting energy security and environmental objectives. The prime minister directed relevant departments to accelerate implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Policy and ensure full transparency in the provision of subsidies.
A special quota will be allocated for journalists, who will receive electric bikes on a self-financed basis, unlike other participants who will have access to an installment-based payment plan, with a separate quota for female journalists to be introduced in the second phase. The subsidy will only be released once the bike is registered in the applicant’s name. The first phase of the broader PAVE programme has not been without challenges, with verification difficulties arising because NADRA was unable to verify certain applicants due to technical issues, a hurdle the government is working to resolve ahead of the expanded government employee rollout. Officials informed the prime minister’s meeting that 72 manufacturing certificates have been issued for electric motorcycles and rickshaws, along with four approvals for electric cars, while 123 applications have been received for setting up electric vehicle charging stations across the country. Citizens and eligible employees can apply through the official PAVE portal at www.pave.gov.pk or reach the programme helpline at 1048 during working hours.
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