The Punjab government has announced a ban on the purchase of new petrol and diesel vehicles for government departments as part of its efforts to promote environmentally friendly transportation across the province.
Under the new policy, only electric and hybrid vehicles will be permitted for official use, while vehicles required for field operations will be exempted from the restriction.
In a major step toward supporting electric mobility, the government has also made it mandatory for all new petrol pumps to install electric vehicle charging stations. Officials confirmed that fuel stations will only be granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) once EV charging facilities are in place, ensuring that no new petrol pump operates without supporting electric vehicles.
Punjab’s Chief Secretary stated that the promotion of green energy remains a top priority for the provincial government in order to reduce environmental pollution and protect public health. He added that a comprehensive electric vehicle policy for Punjab will be introduced soon to further strengthen these initiatives.
As part of the plan, NOCs for 170 new petrol pumps across 31 cities have already been issued through the E-Biz portal. Major cities benefiting from the initiative include Faisalabad, which will see 29 new stations, Lahore with 14, Bahawalpur with 10, and Khanewal and Bahawalnagar with nine petrol pumps each — all equipped with mandatory electric vehicle charging units.
