Students in big cities are hopeful and excited about the Punjab government’s scheme to distribute e-bikes at low interest rates, according to WealthPK. The decision has been taken in view of the rising pollution levels in the province. As per IQAir, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Haripur and Karachi top the list of polluted cities in Pakistan. The provincial government’s decision will not only help lower the pollution levels but also reduce the fuel expenditure considerably, bringing a huge relief to the poor and lower middle-class students. According to the Pakistan Statistical Year Book 2022, as many as 20.96 million vehicles are registered with the Punjab government, of which 16.64 million are motorcycles. In an interview with WealthPK, Mohsin Ali, a computer science student studying at a private college, said by providing students with electric bikes, the government could help reduce environmental pollution and ease the burden of high fuel prices for the public. However, he added that the government should also guarantee affordable and reliable electricity supply before launching the e-bikes. “People want to say goodbye to petrol due to its high price.

Cheaper electricity will bring a revolution in our society. Eco-friendly and sustainable sources of transportation are crucial for Pakistan, particularly Faisalabad where dozens of industrial units are working, emitting untreated smoke and effluent,” he said. A transport department officer told WealthPK that Provincial Minister for Planning and Development Bilal Afzal chaired a meeting in which a scheme for distribution of electric motorcycles to the students was discussed.. Secretary transport briefed the meeting about the prices and provision of electric motorcycles by private companies. The Bank of Punjab also presented its financing model for providing e-bikes to 10,000 students in easy installments at just 6 percent mark-up. The duration of financing would be two years. The minister asked the officials to come up with a rational model so that it could be presented in the cabinet for approval. He said a proper monitoring mechanism is needed to make the scheme a success. The transport department office said the scheme would be launched as a pilot project to promote electric bikes.

The transport, education and finance departments in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab will prepare a model, he added. Initially, the scheme would be launched for college and university students of big cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan. Ali Raza, a teacher at a public university, told WealthPK that Pakistan is passing through a critical juncture where economic and environmental challenges are surging. The incumbent government can tame the environmental issues by introducing electric bikes in collaboration with Chinese entrepreneurs, he said. “China is changing the economic landscape of the entire world and we must benefit from its expertise and experience in the e-vehicle industry. We can reduce carbon emissions through electric vehicles and China can surely play a crucial role in this regard by providing us with electric vehicles at cheap rates,” Ali said.

By promoting electric vehicles, he said the government could boost economic activities, as the people have curtailed their movements due to the high cost of the fuel. Like consumers, industrialists too are trying to cash in on this opportunity, as motorcycle is a major source of traveling for people in Pakistan. An anonymous industrialist revealed he had set up an assembling unit and would introduce his product soon. “Our motorcycles will provide relief to the motorists who are very much troubled by the high cost of fuel. We are trying to introduce a mechanism for solar charging,” he said. Rafiq Ahmed, a motorcycle mechanic, told WealthPK, “We know within a couple of years, people would stop using the traditional fuel-powered motorcycles. Aware of the situation, we have started training so as to cater to our customers.” “Traditional motorcycles and other vehicles are a major source of environmental pollution, and electric vehicles will surely help mitigate pollution,” he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)