Two federal ministries in Pakistan are at odds over who should set and enforce quality standards for locally assembled electric motorcycles, a dispute that stalled a parliamentary subcommittee meeting on Monday. The clash between the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industries and Production reflects deeper regulatory gaps in a sector where battery testing facilities remain nonexistent and most manufacturers rely on Chinese standards. Main Developments The subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries and Production, chaired by Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto, heard conflicting positions from the two ministries. Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology asserted full authority to determine and enforce quality standards for motorcycles, while Ministry of Industries and Production representatives countered that the Engineering Development Board (EDB) should enforce United Nations standards instead. Committee convener Bhutto expressed sharp displeasure over the verbal skirmishes, demanding that both ministries present a unified stance before future meetings. She also criticized the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) for providing what she called a substandard response. Read also: Punjab Ride-Hailing Reform Risks Burdening Drivers, Experts Warn Committee member Naz Baloch raised safety concerns, noting that battery-related defects have caused accidents and losses. Industry ministry officials admitted that no testing laboratory for motors or batteries exists in Pakistan, forcing all manufacturers to rely on Chinese standards and testing. The EDB’s CEO confirmed that only one company is producing 3,000 electric motorcycles. Background The dispute follows the government’s push to promote electric vehicles, including a subsidy of Rs80,000 per e-motorcycle to lower consumer prices. Despite this incentive, the price of an electric motorcycle still exceeds Rs250,000, partly because lithium batteries are not manufactured locally. A 30-ampere lithium battery costs USD300 on the international market. Pakistan currently has about 60 manufacturers of electric motorcycles. The PSQCA has set 172 standards for these vehicles but only monitors enforcement at the manufacturing level. The EDB has received some complaints about battery issues, but a PSQCA representative stated that no complaints have been filed through its website. Why It Matters The absence of local testing infrastructure and clear regulatory authority creates safety risks for consumers and hampers the growth of a nascent industry. Without a unified quality framework, manufacturers may cut corners, potentially leading to more battery-related accidents. The government’s Rs80,000 subsidy risks being wasted on substandard products if enforcement remains fragmented. The dispute also delays the passage of a critical bill currently under consideration in Parliament, which would give the EDB authority to take enforcement action against noncompliant manufacturers. Until then, regulatory gaps leave consumers and manufacturers in uncertainty. What's Next The subcommittee is expected to reconvene after the two ministries resolve their jurisdictional differences. The EDB’s CEO noted that an important bill regarding enforcement authority is under parliamentary consideration; its passage would empower the Board to act against violators. Meanwhile, the PSQCA continues to monitor standards at manufacturing units, but without local testing labs, reliance on Chinese standards remains the norm.