Business Recorder
KARACHI: Policymakers, industry leaders, academics, researchers and climate advocates gathered on Tuesday to review Pakistan’s green transition with a strong focus on sustainable mobility and climate action. The Annual Assembly 2026, organized by Indus Consortium and Grow Green Network with support from Sustain X Partners, brought together key stakeholders at a local hotel for a series of sessions addressing policy direction, industry preparedness and implementation challenges. The first session focused on the green transition in Pakistan’s automotive sector, highlighting structural barriers alongside emerging opportunities. The discussion featured Prof Dr Naveed Arshad, Director of the LUMS Energy Institute; Yasir Hussain, Director of the Climate Action Center; Muhammad Usman, Head of Sustainability at Thyssenkrupp Materials North America and consultant at the LUMS Energy Institute; Shuja ul Haq Siddiqui, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM); and Bilawal Suhag, Head of Research at FPCCI. Panelists pointed to key challenges hindering the shift to green mobility, including inadequate infrastructure, policy inconsistencies and financial constraints. Prof Naveed Arshad outlined the vision behind Pakistan’s New Energy Vehicle Policy, stressing the importance of clear targets and long-term commitment. He noted that rising fuel prices following geopolitical tensions could make the policy’s target of achieving 30 per cent electric vehicles by 2030 more attainable. Yasir Hussain acknowledged gradual progress in implementation but highlighted gaps in execution and coordination. Bilawal Suhag emphasised the need for industry alignment with global trends and described innovation as a key driver of growth. Muhammad Usman said Scope 3 emissions dominate the transport sector, urging cost-effective solutions like biofuels, while Shuja ul Haq Siddiqui noted the auto parts industry faces pressure due to limited capacity, weak demand, and policy gaps, with EVs still largely accessible only to the elite. Kanwal Nizam Bhutto, Managing Director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority, outlined the Sindh government’s ongoing and planned initiatives related to electric vehicles and the Karachi Circular Railway. She said the provincial government would move forward with the circular railway project once land issues were resolved and added that a memorandum of understanding would be signed with the railway ministry to revive the system. Mashood Ali Khan, Director of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), highlighted green financing requirements. He noted that electric vehicles were promoted in developed countries through strong government policies and that infrastructure plays a critical role in adoption. He added that battery localisation is possible and called for subsidies for SMEs to develop EV components, emphasising that two-wheelers would play a key role in the transition. He also suggested that technology could be brought in through joint ventures and stressed the need for consistent policies, pointing to a prevailing trust deficit. The session titled “Banking the Automobile” featured Rashid Azeem of UBL, Wajih Zaman of Soneri Bank, and Sadia Bukhari of Sindh Bank. Mushtaq Ahmed Shaikh from the Sindh government shared provincial initiatives, while Asim Jaffry of Pakistan Fair Finance highlighted air quality concerns linked to the sector. In the session on “Challenges in the Just Energy Transition,” Imdad Hussain Siddiqui spoke about lessons from the 2022 floods, while Dr Khalid Waleed offered a critical view of carbon markets. Advocate Shazia Nizamani highlighted barriers to women’s participation in energy decision-making, and community voices including Iqbal Hayder, Tayyab Ur Rehman and Kamal Palari raised concerns about displacement and the impacts of large-scale energy projects in Sindh. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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