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Punjab Restores Electric Bus Deal as LHC Closes Case

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Punjab Restores Electric Bus Deal as LHC Closes Case - Carr.pk

The Lahore High Court has officially closed the case over Punjab’s electric bus procurement after the provincial government withdrew its earlier decision to cancel the contract. This move clears the way for the supply of 100 eco-friendly buses, a major step in the province’s effort to tackle urban smog and reduce fuel costs. DAWN reported.

Government Reverses Contract Cancellation

During the latest hearing, the Punjab government informed the court that it had withdrawn the letter that had previously canceled the multi-billion rupee contract.

This decision restores the agreement with private supplier Universal Motors, allowing the project to proceed as originally planned.

LHC Declares Case “No Longer Necessary”

With the contract restored, Justice Jawad Hassan described the legal petition as no longer necessary and officially closed the proceedings. 

The case had previously challenged the provincial government’s decision to scrap the Rs. 4.58 billion contract, which the court had earlier suspended, citing a lack of legal basis.

Background

This development follows a legal battle where the LHC had previously suspended the Punjab government’s decision to scrap the multi-billion rupee deal.

As we reported earlier, the provincial government had tried to cancel the Rs. 4.58 billion contract for 100 electric buses. At that time, the court stepped in to stop the cancellation, noting that the move appeared arbitrary and lacked a clear legal basis.

The supplier had already made significant progress, including:

  • Developing and getting approval for a prototype bus.
  • Paying a security bond of over Rs. 458 million.
  • Receiving initial payments to start the work.

Impact: Punjab’s Electric Bus Initiative Back on Track

With the contract restored, Punjab moves closer to introducing 100 electric buses, which are expected to significantly reduce fuel costs and curb air pollution in major cities, including Lahore. This project could serve as a model for eco-friendly public transportation in other provinces.

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