Local or Import?

Just the other day I was involved in a detailed discussion on how expensive cars have become in Pakistan and surprisingly the majority of complaints were coming from automobile manufacturers and assemblers present in Pakistan. The likes of Honda, Toyota and Suzuki keep increasing prices as rapidly without any check on quality or if those price increases have been justified. The automobile lobby seems to have no sense of checks and balances as we recently saw another price increase for all three automobile assemblers by approx Rs 10,000 - Rs 25,000.

Please take a look at the price list (Courtesy Pakwheels.com): New Car Prices in Pakistan

It has come to the point where purchasing an import becomes more feasible than investing money in a locally assembled car. What has become more embarrassing is that these car assemblers have had plenty of time to become self-sufficient in developing manufacturing and assembling capabilities. Let's take India or Malaysia for example. Both these countries are now manufacturing and assembling automobiles which has greatly helped the economy as well as boosted employment opportunities.

So when is the government going to take some measures against this lobby of automobile manufacturers? When will the public realize that they are being blackmailed and held hostage by these companies? I just cannot find it justifiable to pay over 18 Lakh Rupees for a Civic VTi Oriel Prosmatec Transmission.