ISLAMABAD, JUL 05 (DNA) — Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, who chaired the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) sub-committee meeting on Wednesday, informed that no car had been exported by Pakistan in the last 20 years. The meeting discussed the assembling of cars in Pakistan.

The meeting was told that the country could export cars provided it produced at least 500,000 cars, and that last time the country had exported cars was in 2014 when 200 Corolla cars were exported to Sri Lanka.

Secretary Industries said that Pakistan would have to first export parts of cars before starting the export of the latter. “We import the raw material that affects the rate in the international market,” he informed.

It was informed that most of the parts used in the production of Toyota cars were manufactured locally. It was also told that 60 and 64 per cent parts of Toyota Yaris 2023 and Corolla respectively were made locally while 41 per cent parts of Fortunes were also locally manufactured. 

The meeting was briefed that Honda Pakistan had stood first in the world in terms of safety standards. It was informed that the car could be exported but its high prices were a stumbling block.

Countries preferred to purchase cars from Thailand because the country’s used its own material in their production, it was disclosed. Mandviwalla said that most of Suzuki cars did not have airbags in them.

He asked the Ministry for Industries to inform how many customers were overcharged. He ordered the ministry to refund extra amounts charged from customers. “And if the ministry does not comply with my orders, I will refer the case to the FIA,” the senator said. — DNA