Islamabad - Daewoo Express Pakistan and Skywell Automobile China have signed an agreement for setting up an ‘electric vehicles value chain’ in Pakistan.
The deal was signed between the two countries at Serena Hotel in Islamabad where Pakistan Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudary and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing took part.
The electric vehicle policy - introduced by the Ministry of Climate Change last year - was initiated to mitigate the effects of global warming by transferring from diesel/petrol engines to electric motor vehicles.
The policy was introduced in regard to the deteriorating conditions of environment and atmosphere in Pakistan due to the harmful emissions released by vehicles. Fawad Chaudhry while addressing the function in Islamabad said that making energy from solar panels and windmills is also part of the energy making policy of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
In addition, the minister claimed that in two to three years time, we will be charging are mobile phones using different modes of power production like the rest of the developed countries (solar energy/windmills).
Referring to the ongoing initiative taken by his ministry regarding the launch of electric vehicles, Fawad said that energy production was one of the major problems of Pakistan. He explained that with the help of Climate Ministry and Special Assistant to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, the ministry is working day and night for the successful launch of electric vehicles in Pakistan.
Fawad stressed that worsening environmental issues of Pakistan were directly linked with the harmful emissions released by old model vehicles which run on diesel and petrol engines. "If we bring our two-wheelers and three-wheelers electric, a lot can be controlled", said Fawad.
Talking about his ministry before he took charge, the minister said the science and technology ministry had never received much importance before, which is unfortunate for Pakistan. He said that back in 1959 when Pakistan started its space program, neither China nor India had started at that time. But today, when we talk about Pakistan sending its space mission next year, people are surprised, said Fawad.
He further pointed out the progress in the Ministry of Science and Technology by telling Pakistan made products which were imported before. "The centrifuges and masks here today are all made in Pakistan, we are now one of the major exporters of materials, Pakistan has given its renewable energy policy and in this we will work on solar and wind energy on priority basis. Mobile batteries may not need to be recharged in the next three to five years from now", said the minister.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing also congratulated the Minister of Science and Technology for taking Pakistan in the direction it needs. Thanking Pakistan for welcoming private sector investment, the Chinese Ambassador stated that incentives were being given to foreign investors in Pakistan for the launching of eco friendly vehicles.
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has announced that electric buses will start plying in the country this year. He was speaking at an MoU signing ceremony signed between a private transport company of Pakistan and a Chinese company, in Islamabad on Wednesday. The MoU will lead to introduce an electrical vehicles chain in Pakistan which, will help reduce air pollution.