ISLAMABAD:Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Thursday while handing over electric motorbikes to online food delivery platform riders said the Electric Vehicle Policy was the best initiative to embark the country into the technologically advanced 21st century.
Addressing the handing over ceremony here flanked by the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) food panda Muntaqa Peracha and CEO Jolta Electrics Usman Sheikh and Additional Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Joudat Ayaz the SAPM underscored that the initiative was part of the Clean Green Pakistan Movement aimed at ensuring environmental conservation and cleanliness.
Amin said the EV Policy was approved after myriads of efforts and it started bearing fruits that the largest e-commerce company of the country was adopting e-vehicles.
He said the platform authorities had revealed that it possessed the largest bikers fleet of 50,000 motorbikes.
“The company will offer its bikers the option to convert their bikes over EVs with some assistance through the bank,” he added.
The SAPM underscored that the Ministry had signed numerous memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with various private partners but their outcome was negligible. “But the food pandas MOU is the only one that has been implemented so rapidly.”
He suggested that the color of the e-bikes should be green to promote their eco-friendly nature among the masses.
“In COP-26 held in Glasgow, over two dozens of Pakistani companies (26) voluntarily pledged to go net-zero which will be boosted to 100 entrepreneurs that will reduce their carbon footprint to zero by 2030,” the SAPM informed.
He proudly mentioned that Pakistan was the only developing country that voluntarily gave this pledge and joined this collision of the net-zero groups.
“Pakistan is leading the world in this effort and the future lies in a decarbonized planet as proposed by the scientists and we have this decade to take the decisive path,” Amin highlighted.
The PM’s aide said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies were nature friendly and based on zero-carbon vision. ” foodpanda and Jolta Electrics should join that collision for a net-zero world,” he suggested to the entrepreneurs.
The e-bikes initiative would indirectly serve the Clean Green Agenda of the government to ensure environmental protection at every development initiative.
Foodpanda has inducted five e-bikes in its riders’ fleet to shift over eco-friendly technology to reduce fossil fuel consumption in their operations which would be extended after monitoring and evaluating the success rate of electric run bikes. It has been the first step made by the largest e-commerce company.
On the occasion, Interim CEO Food Panda Muntaqa Peracha said he was extremely proud to announce this initiative as part of the MOU signed with the Ministry for joining Clean Green Pakistan Movement.
“We aim to be a carbon-neutral company by 2030. We have the largest riders fleet in Pakistan which will be converted over an environment friendly and cheaper technology with least maintenance cost,” he said.
CEO Jolta Electrics Usman Sheikh said the Company’s mission was to join environmental conservation in the country under the EV Policy. “Unless major players come forward in the market the EVs are not going to get the desired traction,” he said.
We have different solutions for varied customers .swappable batteries are the solutions for extended rides and it’s all in the pipeline for the next two to three months
“It will save Rs6,000 to 7,000 in terms of fuel expenses and maintenance cost in a month,” he told.
The SAPM and CEO foodpanda handed over keys to the riders at the end of the ceremony.