Pakistan, July 18 -- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed officials to develop a comprehensive national strategy to make electric vehicles (EVs) widely accessible, particularly to students, unemployed individuals, and low-income groups. Chairing a policy meeting in Islamabad, he emphasized that promoting EVs would reduce Pakistan's fuel import bill by billions, help tackle climate change, and drive local industry growth.

As part of the initiative, the federal government and educational boards will distribute free electric bikes to top-performing students, beginning at the intermediate level. A 25% quota is reserved for women, and provincial quotas will be population-based, with Balochistan's share increased by 10% to address ...