• Directs inclusion of EV buses, bikes in govt fleet; calls for local manufacturing of batteries
• Orders inquiry into non-functional early climate warning system in GB

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the country must gradually transition towards eco-friendly electric vehicles (EVs) and also expressed displeasure over the non-functional early warning system installed in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Chairing a high-level meeting on energy security, the prime minister emphasised energy security as a key pillar of future planning and expressed satisfaction over the availability of oil reserves in the country.

He said timely government measures on energy conservation amid the current regional situation had helped avert a potential crisis and noted that work was underway on a plan to maintain strategic reserves of crude oil in view of future energy needs.

He stressed that for energy conservation and sustainable development, the country must gradually transition towards eco-friendly electric vehicles. In this regard, he directed that only electric buses and motorcycles be procured for government use in the future and called for accelerating the establishment of EV charging infrastructure across the country.

The prime minister also called for a comprehensive strategy to facilitate the acquisition of batteries for storing surplus solar energy, stressing that local manufacturing of high-quality storage batteries should be encouraged to reduce reliance on imports and support renewable energy integration. During the briefing, participants were informed that the National Coordination and Management Council (NCMC) was reviewing the energy situation on a daily basis. It was also noted that sufficient stocks of petroleum products were available and that the country’s food security situation remained stable.

Officials said that, through sustained efforts by oil and gas companies, domestic production of gas and oil was gradually increasing. They added that a PC-I was being prepared for two pilot projects aimed at grid-level battery storage, while domestic solar energy users were being encouraged to install storage systems.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Musadik Masood Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Awais Leghari, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervez Malik and Ahsan Iqbal, and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar and other senior officials.

Early warning system

Separately, chairing a review meeting on pre-monsoon preparedness and climate-related risks, the prime minister ordered a high-level inquiry into the non-functional early warning system installed in Gilgit-Baltistan for protection against glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs).

Expressing strong displeasure over the system’s continued inactivity despite directives issued last year, he warned that negligence and weak institutional performance would not be tolerated. He emphasised that protecting citizens from environmental hazards remained a core responsibility of all departments.

The PM directed federal ministries and provincial governments to remove bottlenecks hindering policy implementation and ensure the full operationalisation of digital monitoring infrastructure for early warning systems. He stressed that Pakistan remained among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and called for emergency-level measures to mitigate associated risks.

Highlighting lessons from last year’s monsoon season, he observed that illegal encroachments along river routes and flood channels had significantly contributed to damage. He directed authorities to remove such structures and adopt an effective preventive strategy ahead of the upcoming monsoon rains.

He also instructed all institutions to enhance operational capacity and mobilise resources beyond routine limits to safeguard lives and property in the event of flooding.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and the Ministry of Planning and Development were directed to work closely with provincial governments to ensure coordinated and result-oriented implementation of preparedness measures.

During the meeting, the National Disaster Management Authority, Wapda and the Ministry of Climate Change briefed the prime minister on progress made in line with earlier directives. Senior federal ministers, advisers, provincial chief secretaries and top officials from relevant departments attended the session.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026