Lahore (Pakistan News): The Punjab government has taken a major step to promote environmentally friendly transport by imposing a complete ban on the purchase of petrol and diesel vehicles for government departments. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially approved the decision.
According to the government, future purchases by state institutions will be limited to electric or hybrid vehicles, while field duty vehicles will be exempted. A new Electric Vehicle Policy 2026 will be introduced soon.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has issued NOCs for 170 new petrol pumps across 31 cities. Approval for new petrol pumps will now be contingent on the installation of electric charging units; no pump will be allowed to operate without one.
A Punjab government spokesperson stated that promoting green energy is a priority for environmental protection. Under this policy, 29 pumps in Faisalabad, 14 in Lahore, 10 in Bahawalpur, and 9 each in Khanewal and Bahawalnagar have been approved with electric charging units. In Rawalpindi and Jhang, 8 pumps, and in Toba Tek Singh, Mianwali, Kasur, and Chiniot, 7 pumps each have been allowed to operate under the same condition.
