ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab on Thursday launched the country’s first Green Policing Unit, according to an official statement, introducing electric patrol vehicles as authorities seek to curb fuel use and emissions amid worsening winter smog.

Large parts of Punjab, the country’s most populous province, are engulfed by dense smog every winter as cold, stagnant air traps pollution from vehicle emissions, construction dust , and agricultural fires.

The provincial capital, Lahore, frequently ranks among the world’s most polluted cities during the season. While authorities have previously relied on measures such as anti-smog guns and traffic restrictions, these have offered only temporary relief, leaving residents exposed to hazardous air quality.

“Green policing reflects the vision of clean air and good governance,” Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said after inaugurating the unit.

“The use of electric vehicles will lead to a reduction in fuel costs and result in zero carbon emissions,” she added.

The chief minister inspected the electric patrol vehicles and drove one herself, according to the official statement.

Officials said the Green Policing Unit would initially operate in Lahore, using modern electric vehicles for traffic patrolling.

The vehicles, manufactured by Chinese automaker BYD, have a driving range of about 410 kilometers per charge and can be fast-charged from 30 percent to 80 percent in around 30 minutes, according to a briefing given to the chief minister.

All the electric patrol vehicles are fitted with surveillance systems, public address equipment, police lights, 360-degree cameras, and speed-detection tools.

Officials said conventional police patrol vehicles currently deployed in Lahore consume around 28,000 liters of fuel per month, costing about Rs7.42 million rupees ($26,600).

By contrast, each electric vehicle is expected to save roughly 4,500 liters of fuel annually, lower operational costs and eliminate carbon emissions.

The chief minister directed authorities to gradually expand the number of electric vehicles assigned to the Green Policing Unit and ordered steps to roll out the initiative to other districts of Punjab in phases, the statement added.