ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Saturday the government had once again promised “fool-proof security” to Chinese nationals involved in various infrastructure projects under the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative.
The assurance was formally communicated to the administration in Beijing during a lengthy phone call between the Pakistani minister and his Chinese counterpart Zhao Kezhi.
The conversation transpired only a few days after a blast on a bus in Pakistan’s northwestern region that killed 13 people, including nine Chinese workers, and sent the vehicle crashing into a ravine.
The foreign office of Pakistan earlier claimed that the explosion was caused by a mechanical failure. However, the country’s information minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry later maintained in a Twitter post that investigators had found “traces of explosives” and it was difficult to rule out the possibility of terrorism.
Ahmed echoed the same view during a news conference in Islamabad, saying that the incident was orchestrated right ahead of the China-Pakistan Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting for maximum impact.
The meeting was canceled by officials in Beijing after the bus incident.
The Pakistani minister said he had briefed the Chinese official regarding the progress during the investigation which, he added, was in its final stage.
Ahmed noted such incidents could not jeopardize the strong bond which existed between Pakistan and China, adding that the “culprits and hidden hands” would soon be identified and brought to justice.
Pakistan promises ‘fool-proof security’ to Chinese nationals after bus incident
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Pakistan promises ‘fool-proof security’ to Chinese nationals after bus incident
- The assurance was formally conveyed to Beijing during a phone call between the Pakistani interior minister and his Chinese counterpart
- Nine Chinese nationals working on a CPEC project were killed earlier this week when an explosion on their bus sent the vehicle crashing into a ravine
Pakistan plans 3,000 EV charging stations as green mobility push gathers pace
- Roadmap unveiled by energy efficiency regulator and a private conglomerate amid early-stage EV rollout
- New EV Policy and related plans aim to install 3,000 EV stations by 2030, including 240 stations in current fiscal year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s energy efficiency regulator and a private conglomerate have unveiled an approved roadmap to establish 3,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as Pakistan looks to build out basic EV charging infrastructure, which remains limited and unevenly distributed, largely concentrated in major cities. Despite policy commitments to promote electric mobility as part of climate and energy-efficiency goals, the absence of a nationwide charging network has slowed broader EV adoption.
Pakistan’s EV ecosystem is still at a formative stage, with progress constrained by regulatory approvals, grid connectivity issues and coordination challenges among utilities, regulators and fuel retailers. Expanding charging infrastructure is widely seen as a prerequisite for scaling electric transport for both private and commercial use.
According to APP, the roadmap was presented during a meeting between Malik Group Chief Executive Officer Malik Khuda Baksh and National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Managing Director and Additional Secretary Humayon Khan.
“Baksh ... in a meeting with Khan, unveiled the approved roadmap for establishing 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations across Pakistan,” APP reported. “Khan reaffirmed the authority’s full institutional backing and pledged to expand the initiative to 6,000 EV charging stations nationwide.”
The discussion reviewed hurdles delaying the rollout, including EV charger imports, customs duties, regulatory documentation and inter-agency coordination.
APP said Khan welcomed the proposal and sought recommendations for “internationally compliant EV charger brands,” while asking for a detailed “issue-and-solutions report within three days” to facilitate timely implementation of the national green mobility initiative.
Despite the issuance of 13 licenses by NEECA and the arrival of five EV charging units at designated sites, progress has been slowed by procedural bottlenecks, officials said. These include delays in electricity connections, prolonged installation of separate meters and pending no-objection certificates from power distribution companies and oil marketing firms, which continue to stall operational readiness.
Pakistan’s electric vehicle ecosystem is still in its early stages, with charging infrastructure far behind levels seen in more advanced markets. The government’s New Energy Vehicle Policy and related plans aim to install 3,000 EV charging stations by 2030, including 240 stations planned in the current fiscal year, but actual deployment remains limited and uneven, mostly clustered in major cities and along key urban corridors.
Despite regulatory backing, including the 2024 Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure and Battery Swapping Stations framework, progress has been slow. Many proposed stations have yet to become operational due to delays in grid connections and approvals, and public maps of nationwide charging coverage are not yet available.
Private players are beginning to install more chargers, and there are over 20 public EV charging points reported in urban centers, offering both slower AC chargers and faster DC options. However, such infrastructure is still sparse compared with the growing number of electric vehicles and the government’s long-term targets.
