ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has announced that electric buses will operate in Pakistan in the current year.
The minister on Wednesday took to Twitter to share a Strategic Alliance Agreement between Daewoo Express and Skywell Automobile, China, according to which an electrical vehicles value chain will be set up in Pakistan.
In a tweet, the federal minister termed it a breakthrough in fulfilling another promise by the government to take the country on the road to progress, and said that the electric buses will start to function in Pakistan from this year.
For this purpose, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between a private transport company of Pakistan, and a Chinese company, was held in Islamabad on Wednesday.
On this occasion, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, said that the MoU will lead to introducing an electrical vehicles chain in Pakistan, which will help reduce air pollution as well.
He said that in the first phase, $50 million will be invested in building infrastructure; while in the second phase, manufacturing of electric buses will start in Pakistan within next three years.
The minister termed it a breakthrough in fulfilling another promise by the PTI government to take the country to progress.
He said that Pakistan would be the first country in Asia that will have electric vehicles.
He said in the next three years, these electric buses will be completely manufactured in Pakistan.
He said the PTI government is working to promote Pakistan's new energy vehicles policy.
The minister said that Pakistan should keep a close eye on technological inventions. "Battery bus [service] is starting soon in Pakistan," he announced, adding that when 5G service becomes functional in Pakistan, various sectors would not be needed anymore.
Talking about Ruet-e-Hilal Committee head Mufti Munibur Rehman, Chaudhry said that the moon would not alter its course based on what he or Rehman say.
"If you close your eyes [to progress] and say 'We do not accept it', [time] will run over you," he said in an indirect reference to Rehman.
He said that the government wanted a better system for electricity and transport in Pakistan. He said that it was important for Pakistan to plan for 10 years ahead. The minister pointed out that it was difficult to travel in Lahore during the winters, when the fog hampered visibility to a large extent.
While praising his ministry, he said that Pakistan was exporting items needed for Covid-19 at present.
"Today, we are making our own masks and sanitizers in Pakistan," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said the governments and peoples of the two countries were working together for development and strengthening of bilateral ties.
He appreciated role of Pakistan in providing facilities to the private sector for strengthening business-to-business relationship between the two countries.
He said several power plants were also being set up under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to overcome power shortage.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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