Govt assures auto sector of new regulations

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has assured the auto industry that the government is fully aware of its concerns over the import of used vehicles.

He said that, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, new legislation and regulatory frameworks would be introduced to address those issues comprehensively. "Only those used vehicles that meet safety and environmental standards will be allowed to enter Pakistan," he emphasised.

The PM aide held a meeting with a delegation of the auto industry to review the challenges confronting the sector. He added that open competition would promote efficiency and lead the sector towards low-cost and competitive local manufacturing.

"The auto industry plays a crucial role in Pakistan's large-scale manufacturing sector," he remarked and said that new regulations would ensure transparency and merit-based competition in the auto market.

Secretary Industries Saif Anjum and Engineering Development Board CEO Hammad Mansoor also attended the meeting. The participants discussed the difficulties facing the auto sector, the import of used vehicles and matters related to local manufacturing.

Representatives of the Pakistan Auto Manufacturers Association emphasised that tax reforms and effective control over used car imports could help stabilise domestic production. They cautioned that liberal policies on used car imports could undermine the hard-earned gains made by the auto industry.

Secretary Industries Saif Anjum informed the meeting that for commercial imports, three years of overseas residency and one-year registration under the owner's name would be the mandatory requirements. He said that the safety and quality standards of imported vehicles would be verified through pre-shipment inspections.