Following the passage of the oft-delayed but very much welcome Auto Policy 2015, the space for new automobile manufacturers/ assemblers to enter Pakistani auto market has been opened.
There has been talk of European manufacturers expressing their interest in opening up shop here, and now it seems efforts are being realized for the same.
Audi, the premium car maker from Germany, has expressed its willingness to set foot in Pakistani auto industry, making for a very interesting development for consumers and the industry watchers alike.
To this effect, a Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed by AUDI AG and the Sindh Board of Investment in Ingolstadht. The MoU calls for Audi to study the possibility of assembling the cars in Pakistan.
Audi, the brand with 4 distinct rings, will study the federal trade policies, legal, logistical and economic feasibility to establish an assembly plant in the Province of Sindh through its authorized general importer in Pakistan; Premier Systems.
Signing of the MoU was carried out by Ms. Naheed Memon, Sindh Board of Investment and Mr. Martin Birkner of AUDI AG. It was witnessed by Mr. Rainer Schmiedchen, Consul-General of Germany in Karachi and Mr. Arshad Raza of Premier Systems.
Currently, the Pakistani auto industry is populated by Japanese car makers and the entrant of a quality-conscious brand like Audi is sure to make local auto-makers more competitive (and nervous). We hope that the competition amongst new and old companies in Pakistani auto industry brings standards up to par with what’s expected globally. With more competition, prices of cars are expected to go down too.