Parliamentary Minister Muhammad Azam Khan Swati informed the Senate on Monday that the new automotive policy had been approved by the government, while around 18 car production units were also established in the country.
At his conclusion, the Minister addressed a motion on the situation arising from a decline in the selling of vehicles and other cars in the country. He added that the establishment of their units in Pakistan had included two Korean and five Chinese car companies.
He acknowledged that historically, automobile companies were only manufacturing automobiles in the country rather than making them, although the import tax on machinery was zero.
The Minister said that in new vehicles safety elements are guaranteed and the manufacturing units are required to meet the international safety standard.
The Minister claimed that, as regards vehicle prices, prices depended on product demand and supply. Vehicle prices also saw upward trends as Pakistani rupees were depreciated, he added.
Earlier moving the motion, Kalsoom Parveen said Honda and Toyota had shut down their units resulting crisis in auto sector. She said hundred of thousand workers had lost their jobs. Import of second hand vehicles had also been banned resulting further aggravating the situation, she said.
Taking part in the debate, Atiq Sheikh said the auto production was closed under pre –plan strategy. He said prices of vehicles were very high in the country due to certain mafia. Nauman Wazir, Mohsin Aziz and Zeeshan also spoke on the occasion.
