Govt wants quick NEVP implementation despite resistance from auto industry.

KARACHI -- Despite auto assemblers' reservations regarding the National Electric Vehicle Policy (NEVP), the government has aimed at making it operational by January 2020.

The federal cabinet approved NEVP on Nov 5 and the Ministry for Climate Change (MoCC) has summoned an inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday in Islamabad to discuss the same.

The MoCC has informed relevant ministries and government departments that the 'NEVP needs to be operational by January 2020 by validation of incentive packages through the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).'

Prime Minister Imran Khan has already announced early implementation of NEVP, especially for two- and three-wheelers as well as buses for public transport in order to prevent smog.

The ministry said the subject policy under section 8 envisages the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee which would include members from the federal line ministries, provinces, private sector and the academia.

This committee would be responsible for overseeing all issues related to the entire electric vehicle value chain in order to smoothly introduce and coordinate efforts towards local manufacturing.

It will also be responsible for overseeing standardisation, regulation and compliance towards infrastructure. Periodic amendments in the policy based on changing technology and marketplace will also be its responsibility.

'We have not been invited in the inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday,' Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (Pama) Director General Abdul Waheed Khan told Dawn on Wednesday, adding that 'we have also not been taken into confidence on NEVP.'

He said on Nov 4, the news was swirling in the market that NEVP policy was on agenda of federal cabinet meeting the next day.

Before this, the climate ministry had circulated draft policy of electric vehicle while requisite input from the stakeholders on it was still to be obtained.

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