ISLAMABAD: A leading Chinese automotive company signed an agreement with a Pakistani firm this week to introduce advanced electric vehicle (EV) technology in Pakistan and scale up domestic production, state media reported on Tuesday.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on February 22 in Beijing between Shanghai Launch Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. (LAUNCH) and Yousuf Dewan Companies (YDC), a pioneer in EV assembly in Pakistan.
The deal is part of broader cooperation between Pakistan and China in technology and industrial development, following recent efforts to enhance investment and collaboration in the automotive sector.
YDC, which has been active in Pakistan’s automobile industry, will work with LAUNCH, a Chinese firm specializing in EV technology, to develop vehicles for Pakistan using LAUNCH’s expertise in design and innovation.
The agreement also includes setting up a completely knocked-down (CKD) assembly operation for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), producing both right-hand drive and left-hand drive models for domestic sales and exports.
“This agreement marks a significant step toward bringing advanced electric vehicle (EV) technology to Pakistan and promoting sustainable mobility solutions in the region,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“The cooperation includes the creation of a technology partnership focused on EV innovation, battery life cycle management and recycling solutions, as well as exploring a joint venture for manufacturing and scaling BEV production in Pakistan,” it added.
The partnership is expected to drive EV adoption in Pakistan and contribute to the country’s sustainable energy and mobility goals, aligning with broader government efforts to promote clean transportation.
Pakistani, Chinese firms sign deal to boost electric vehicle production
https://arab.news/nqy95
Pakistani, Chinese firms sign deal to boost electric vehicle production
- The Pakistani firm will develop vehicles with the help of Chinese expertise for domestic sales and exports
- Agreement will help bring advanced electric vehicle technology to Pakistan, provide sustainable mobility
Bangladesh approves new rice imports from Pakistan amid price pressures
- The deal follows Bangladesh’s resumption of direct rice trade with Pakistan earlier this year for the first time since independence in 1971
- Diplomatic ties between the two nations have improved since the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina after mass protests last year
DHAKA: Bangladesh has approved the import of 50,000 metric tons of white rice from Pakistan under a government-to-government deal as part of efforts to stabilize domestic prices, officials said on Tuesday.
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase cleared the deal at $395 per ton, reinforcing Dhaka’s renewed trade engagement with Islamabad.
Rice prices in Bangladesh have jumped by between 15 percent and 20 percent over the past year, with medium-quality rice selling at about 80 taka ($0.66) per kilogram. Despite increased imports and the removal of duties to ease supply constraints, prices for the staple grain remain stubbornly high.
The deal follows Bangladesh’s resumption of direct rice trade with Pakistan earlier this year for the first time since independence in 1971. In February, it imported 50,000 tons of rice from Pakistan at $499 per ton under a similar agreement.
Diplomatic ties between the two South Asian nations have improved since an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office after mass protests forced then prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to neighboring India last year.
Formerly East Pakistan, Bangladesh gained independence after a nine-month war in 1971, and relations with Pakistan have remained fraught in the decades since the conflict.
Separately, the government approved another 50,000 tons of parboiled rice through an international tender, part of a series of recent purchases aimed at cooling local prices. India’s Pattabhi Agro Foods secured the contract with the lowest bid of $355.77 per ton.
