The viability of electric vehicles in Pakistan
Pakistan s Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan prepares to charge an electric car. PHOTO: AFP
The viability of electric vehicles in Pakistan
The foremost hurdle to climb-over is to establish electric stations across congested metropolitan areas of the country
Pakistan has its eyes anchored on a transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The government wishes to make around 100,000 cars and more than half a million two and three wheelers electric in the coming years. Given the recurring freak events (due to climate change), the government’s intentions are legitimate. The fact that air pollution takes away nearly 135,000 lives in Pakistan in a year and costs around 5-6% of the GDP validates the idea further. However, the execution of the strategy is no walk in the park. The journey is full of unidentified challenges and may demand a more exhaustive effort than what one may expect.
The economics of Pakistan’s trade
Labourers carry sacks of onions from a truck at a market in Lahore. PHOTO: AFP
The economics of Pakistan’s trade
In Pakistan’s case, trade openness and GDP per capita are positively correlated though the correlation remains meagre
International trade is premised not on the ability to produce an output with lower inputs than other nations but on the appetite to forego the least quantum of the other commodity for the sake of making another. Hence, countries direct resources towards goods they have a comparative advantage in and import ones in which others incur a lower opportunity cost. The net result is a supplemental quantity of all the outputs to consume, leaving the partaking parties better-off.