Auto Industry claims Rs50b loss from car imports

Pakistan's auto industry has expressed its dismay over the rising import of used cars, which is said to have caused a loss of Rs50 billion during the last one year. Pakistan is the only auto manufacturing country in Asia where used vehicles swallow a significant part of the market, accounting for nearly 25% of domestic sales between December 2024 and December 2025. In comparison, the share of used cars remains negligible in regional peers: India has virtually zero used car inflows, Vietnam has 0.3% used car share and Thailand has 1.2%. Industry analysts say the contrast underscores a clear policy divergence. While regional economies have restricted used car imports to safeguard their automotive value chains, Pakistan has charted an opposite course, especially after Notification 1895 issued by the Ministry of Commerce on September 30, 2025, which allowed imports of up to five-year-old vehicles.