ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan said that work has already been started to encourage electric vehicles in Pakistan, as Pakistan has to convert 30% of vehicles to electric by 2030.
The minister has led the Pakistani delegation in the two-day session dedicated to Transport and Digital Middle Corridor and Beyond in COP29 which was consisted upon ministers from different countries and delegates of international organisations. In this global forum held at Baku, Azerbaijan, apart from Pakistan, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Italy and Azerbaijan are participating while the UN delegates from the Mission, European Commission, UIC, IRU, ITF and other international organisations also participated.
Talking at the Ministerial Roundtable Session, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan asserted that projects like Green Urban Transport, Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy are of utmost importance to meet future challenges as the population pressure in big cities is increasing day by day at an alarming rate while the air quality index is also on higher side.
He said that work has already been started to encourage electric vehicles in Pakistan and according to the approved policy, Pakistan has to convert 30% of vehicles to electric by 2030. Similarly, work is also being done to provide charging stations and other necessities for electric vehicles. He said that the first fleet of biome thane hybrid buses in Karachi will save 100 percent of fuel while there is also an option of Public-Private Partnership for the National Green Transport Project in Pakistan. Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed the holding of a forum like COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan and assured Pakistan’s full participation and cooperation, in this regard. He said that developing countries are facing new challenges, especially of climate change and smog which are affecting human life badly so we need to work at a more micro level in the transport sector to bring visible changes.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aleem Khan also attended the session on Digital Middle Corridor and Beyond where discussions were held on projects such as promotion of Green Technology in means of transport, reduction of smog, and digitalization and automation in Transport Sector. The minister said that such initiatives help in decision-making, benefiting from each other’s experiences and implementing long-term policies.
He said that the Pakistani delegation will return from this Forum with positive and actionable suggestions and we will draw on each other’s successes to formulate a solid future strategy. Abdul Aleem Khan especially thanked Azerbaijan’s Minister of Transport Rashid Nabiov and Minister of Economy Mikael Jabarov, while discussions were also held with ministers and delegates from other countries participating in this Forum of COP 29 at Baku, Azerbaijan.