National Assembly demands MoCC to set a separate regulatory board for Electric Vehicles

In recent news, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change on Monday demanded the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) create a separate regulation board for Electric Vehicles (EV) to ensure proper management in regards to the possible adverse impacts that EVs may create.

The meeting for this was chaired by MNSA Munaza Hassan who stated the following:
“We have read the EV Policy and our concern is of recycling of the batteries used in it which is not indicated in the entire policy. If the e-waste component is not part of the EV Policy then it is incomplete. Its environmental hazards should have been the part of it.”

Moreover, Miss Hassan highlighted how the EPA officials completely neglected the concept of introducing proper amendments to the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (PEPA 1997) which currently did not mention how e-waste was separate from hazardous waste.

As a result, Miss Hassan directed that a letter should be written to the Ministry of Industries Production (MoIP) for the holding of a meeting between the Engineering Development Board (EDB) coinciding with the meeting with the parliamentary committee.

In regards to the EV policy, Minister of State of Climate Change Zartaj Gul stated the following:
“EV Policy was our vision and approved by the Cabinet. The MoIP was not delivered the entire vision properly that developed some sort of rift.”

However, MNA Shaista Pervaiz stated:
“Our concern is less on policy more on its outcomes as it’s a huge policy shift that needs to be managed amicably.”

In the end, MNA Andleeb Abbas mentioned that a proper mechanism to oversee this technology was required where there should be a strong regulatory body with all ministries on board.