Vehicle manufacturers/assemblers in Pakistan are complying with just 18 out of 200 internationally recognized automotive safety standards, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industry and Production was informed on Tuesday.
The remaining 182 standards are being entirely neglected, despite the fact that vehicle prices in Pakistan remain significantly higher than global benchmarks.
Committee members voiced serious alarm over the production of unsafe vehicles in the country and called for immediate and strict enforcement action against automakers failing to meet global safety protocols.
Committee members lamented that due to substandard safety and quality, Pakistan’s vehicles are unfit for export compared to India and China, which have become major exporters in the automobile sector.
The Secretary of Industries and Production informed the committee that the inclusion of two airbags remains standard in vehicles. However, committee chairman pointed out that even three prominent foreign manufacturers operating in Pakistan are not complying with local regulations.
One committee member argued against extending further leniency to companies that have operated in Pakistan for decades without aligning with safety standards and be punished accordingly.