China to set up electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Pakistan’s first private SEZ

MG JW Automobile will manufacture electric vehicles at Raiwind SEZ with an estimated FDI of Rs663m and local investment of Rs637m

ISLAMABAD: China’s largest automobile manufacturer is all set to start the manufacturing of electric vehicles in Pakistan’s first private special economic zone (SEZ) located in Raiwind.

During an SEZ Committee meeting in Islamabad, the Board of Investment admitted the MG JW Automobile Pakistan Pvt Ltd as ‘zone enterprise’ in the JW-SEZ, Raiwind. The company would manufacture electric vehicles with an estimated foreign direct investment of Rs663 million and local investment of Rs637 million.

According to officials, BoI had received the ‘Zone Entry Application’ of MG JW Automobile Pakistan Pvt Ltd through its recently launched ‘SEZ MIS Module’, which acts as a one-window for SEZs in Pakistan. The module is designed to facilitate real investors, from all corners of the world, in getting admission into SEZs while ensuring complete transparency.

MG Pakistan is a joint venture between JW SEZ and SMIL — a subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. SAIC is a Chinese state-owned multinational automotive design and manufacturing company headquartered in Shanghai.

It is the largest auto manufacturer in China and the seventh largest in the world. In 2006, SAIC purchased the prestigious British brand Morris Garages (MG) and is now marketing automobiles under the MG brand all over the world.

Speaking on the occasion, BoI Chairman Atif Bokhari stated that initiation of the first private SEZ in Pakistan is a testament to the fact that the government is fully committed to facilitating private investors for speedy industrialisation in the country.

BoI Secretary Fareena Mazhar remarked that the launch of SEZ MIS Module is a leap into the digital future of SEZ-led Industrialization.

According to BoI, both local and foreign investors interested in Pakistan’s SEZs can now simply register online and submit their applications, which would automatically be shared with concerned authorities.

It is pertinent to mention that the government had recently implemented the Electric Vehicle Policy with a set of incentives offered to manufacturers and assemblers of vehicles. The incentives are reportedly encouraging investment in the auto sector.

The government reportedly plans that 30pc of all new cars, trucks, buses, vans and jeeps, and 50pc of all two-, three- and four-wheelers will be electric vehicles by 2030. By 2040, 90pc of vehicles on the road are envisioned as electric.

While Chinese carmakers are in favour of a direct shift to an EV future, Japanese automobile companies want the government to follow a route where both electric vehicles and hybrid (including plugged-in hybrid) electric vehicles are allowed to compete as is the case in countries like India, Thailand and Malaysia.

Ghulam Abbas
Ghulam Abbas
The writer is a member of the staff at the Islamabad Bureau. He can be reached at [email protected]

24 COMMENTS

  1. It’s very good setup.
    I’m a mechanical engg student and looking for a job.so can u please give me a chance here to work with you

  2. While positive, I am afraid of environmental pollution when the batteries get old, will they be thrown away carelessly where acid will seep into ground water etc or will the company have a buy back program to safely disassemble for recycling?

  3. Indeed it’s a bright step for future of pakistani youth and talented person’s. Bleed green 💚

  4. Hybrid cars are being promoted by Japanese auto assembler mafia because they do not have any ev to sell. Future is electric as cost per km is so less.

  5. It’s Great
    I’m a bachelor in mechanical and looking for a job.so can u please give me a chance here to work with you

  6. We have shortage of electricity. Won’t it cause more shortage of electricity for domestic and industrial purpose.

    • We don’t have any shortage of electricity as per my information as an electrical power engineering student in fact we have surplus energy being produced after completion of two 1500 MW reactors in Karachi ….its all due to rash and short sighted gov. Policies and agreements that we have to face load shedding and such problems ( not targeting any government or party just giving my opinion on energy crisis)

  7. This is very good news to all of us to reduce pollution in ouf country. We appreciate govt to take immediate acton.

  8. This is very good initiative for pakistani government and good for pakistani people chance to reduce unemployment, getting new technology, show the pakistani talent in automobile industry if pakistani government taking good policy for pakistani people then we can get many benefits from this economic zone.

  9. It is very good step taken by Govt.to control pollution as well as get rid of monopoly of third class Honda, suzuki, toyota conventional old models

  10. Asalam o alikum ….
    This is Hamid Manzoor from Munkaza Motors….
    Author is requested to update the progress on subject because it is few months older post …..
    Regards …..

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