SHC seeks cabinet record over enforcement of UN rules on used vehicle imports

The bench directs that details of the meeting be provided within four weeks

Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Constitutional Bench has sought details of a federal cabinet meeting within four weeks while hearing a petition challenging the alleged failure to enforce United Nations regulations on imported used vehicles.

The petition, filed by a local automobile manufacturer, names the federal ministries of Industries and Production and Commerce, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Engineering Development Board (EDB) and other relevant authorities as respondents.

During the hearing, the federal government’s counsel informed the court that the cabinet had already held a meeting on the matter. The bench directed the lawyer to submit details of the meeting within four weeks. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the import of used vehicles was subject to compliance with prescribed safety, environmental and quality standards, including applicable United Nations regulations.

The counsel said the EDB had issued a notification in 2025 introducing a two-stage inspection mechanism covering 62 UN regulations. The system required pre-shipment inspection and independent third-party inspection after vehicles arrived in Pakistan.

However, the petitioner alleged that registered inspection agencies were checking only general requirements rather than verifying compliance with all 62 regulations based on vehicles’ actual condition. The petition further maintained that documents accompanying imported used vehicles did not establish their compliance with prescribed safety standards at the time of import. Referring to the FBR, the counsel said the tax authority had also highlighted ambiguities in pre- and post-shipment inspection requirements in March 2026.

The petitioner argued that local automobile manufacturers were required to comply continuously with the 62 UN regulations, while an equivalent mechanism for imported used vehicles was not being effectively enforced. The petition seeks mandatory inspections before shipment and after arrival, before customs clearance, to ensure imported vehicles meet applicable standards.