PPDA Chairman Calls for Investment in Petroleum and EV Charging Sectors

Malik Khuda Bakhsh urges the government to ensure policy continuity, promote local processing of minerals and create a favourable investment climate across key energy sectors.

Pakistan should expand investment opportunities across the petroleum, oil marketing and electric vehicle (EV) charging sectors alongside efforts to develop its mineral resources, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh has said.

Welcoming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of making Pakistan one of the world’s major economies by 2050, Khuda Bakhsh stressed the need to utilise natural resources through domestic processing, value addition and industrial production rather than exporting raw materials.

He said the government’s focus on mineral development, investment promotion and economic growth was encouraging. However, achieving the country’s long-term economic ambitions would require coordinated efforts from the government, armed forces, business community, industrial sector and private investors.

Khuda Bakhsh said Pakistan offered significant investment potential beyond mining and minerals. He called for a supportive business environment for petroleum companies, oil marketing firms, petroleum dealers and investors interested in developing EV charging infrastructure.

He noted that the petroleum sector remained essential to industrial activity, transportation and commercial operations. At the same time, the growing adoption of electric vehicles was increasing the need for a reliable network of charging stations across the country.

According to the PPDA chairman, policy continuity, easier business procedures and access to modern technology could encourage domestic and foreign investment in these sectors. Such investment could also create employment opportunities and support the development of energy infrastructure.

He also called for greater domestic refining and processing capacity, stronger local industries and increased exports of value-added products. He stressed that the government should develop practical, long-term policies for the petroleum and EV charging sectors in consultation with private-sector stakeholders.

Khuda Bakhsh said investor confidence and local community participation would be important to ensuring that economic development benefits the wider population. He welcomed the emphasis on providing security to investors and ensuring that mineral development creates jobs and business opportunities for local communities.

He expressed hope that the government would continue introducing economic reforms, attracting investment and supporting industrial development while providing opportunities across different sectors.

The PPDA chairman added that Pakistan had natural resources, skilled workers and entrepreneurial potential. Effective planning and a coordinated national strategy, he said, would be necessary to convert these strengths into economic self-reliance and support the country’s 2050 development ambition.