Pakistan Automobile Industry at Glance

We are a consumer nation; it means that we produce less products and in order to fulfill our needs we purchase finished products. The finished products cost must, more than what it actually costs to build one. This practice is continued in every run of life. Be it anything our behavior is same. We spend a large amount of our national income in buying these things.

Talking about automotive the situation is no different as well. We are very resourceful nation but our mods of transportation are not at least not for the prices they are available at. But it was not always like that, we had a good history when it comes to automotive.

In 1949 General Motors came to Pakistan and established a plant to build Bedford and Vauxhall in Pakistan. This joint venture not only led to a number of jobs in Pakistan it also attracted more foreign manufacturers like Chrysler and Ford. We made our first jeep called Naya Daur which was developed in collaboration with foreign manufacturer.

We also excelled in manufacturing diesel engines which were in great demand and many countries wanted this technology. By 1960’s we were making Mark Trucks for American Motor Co in Pakistan! Good old glorified days which lasted till 1970’s because in 1971 the East Pakistan was separated and along with that, we lost lot of industry and the war had wounds deeper than that! It was separation of a nation due to a cold war and it benefited our enemy the most.

After that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was Prime minister of Pakistan back then Nationalized all industries and brought them under the supervision of Government, thinking that it will make them more effective but it actually backfired. This move proved to be bad and started many more national issues which we face till date.

However, in 1980’s we had a local car manufacturing firm in here which was called Proficient.

Locally developed in Karachi Pakistan was brain child of an engineer and more of a family business which was carried out by him and his sons. They were creating reliable cheaper to buy and maintain cars locally, mini vans and mini trucks and they were being liked by the common man but this was not liked by the giants.

Proficient was sacked later on to make situations as we see now.

We don’t manufacture anything but we are a super power, What an irony!