Chinese-made electric buses continue to roll out across Punjab under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Green Initiative, with the newest fleet of 90 inaugurated in Faisalabad. Maryam Nawaz said she had “brought 150 electric buses for the Faisalabad division. Out of these, 90 will serve Faisalabad, 30 Jhang, and 15 each Chiniot and Toba Tek Singh.” She noted that, for the first time, Faisalabad is getting a proper public transport system.

The buses are fully electric, each with 30 seats and capable of carrying up to 80 passengers, a major step toward curbing smog and bringing safe, clean, affordable transit to people across cities. Since the launch of the pilot project in Lahore in February with 27 buses, the program has quickly expanded across Punjab. Fifteen buses were introduced in Mianwali on September 15, followed by another 15 in Wazirabad on September 17, which now serve nearly 10,000 passengers daily.

On September 19, 33 buses began operating in Sargodha, facilitating around 25,000 passengers each day. Just days later, on September 22, Sahiwal launched its own electric bus service, marking the start of a new era of clean and modern travel for the city. With the addition of 90 buses in Faisalabad today, almost 270 buses have been delivered so far, and the number is expected to grow as more fleets are rolled out in the coming months.

The initiative reflects Pakistan’s growing commitment to sustainable transport solutions in partnership with China. In his vision for the Green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinping has stressed that development must be rooted in eco-friendly practices. “We will continue to deepen cooperation in green infrastructure, green energy, and green transport, and step up support for the Green Development Initiative,” President Xi said at the Belt and Road Forum in October 2023.

Punjab’s adoption of electric buses is seen as a practical, visible outcome of this agenda, which is combining modernization with environmental stewardship.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China