As part of its efforts to promote environmentally friendly transport, the Punjab government has imposed a complete ban on the purchase of petrol and diesel vehicles for all government departments.

The decision was announced during a meeting in Lahore presided over by the Punjab chief secretary.

The chief secretary said that from now on, only electric or hybrid vehicles will be allowed for official use.

Vehicles assigned to field operations will be exempted from the ban, but all other departments are required to implement the new policy.

The chief secretary also noted that a new electric vehicle policy will be introduced in the province soon.

Separately, the approval of new petrol stations has been made conditional on the installation of charging units for electric vehicles.

According to the chief secretary, no new petrol station will be allowed to operate without an EV charging facility.

“Environmental protection and the promotion of green energy are among the government’s top priorities,” he said.

Authorities added that while 170 new petrol stations have been approved in 31 cities, the installation of electric charging units will be mandatory in cities including Faisalabad, Lahore, and Bahawalpur.

Authorities said these measures aim not only to reduce environmental pollution but also to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles across the province.