NA Committee Raises Concerns Over Quality of Locally Manufactured Vehicles

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Tuesday expressed concern over the absence of a regulatory body to enforce quality standards for cars, motorcycles, electric vehicles (EVs), and auto parts manufactured in Pakistan.

During a meeting chaired by Syed Hafeezuddin, lawmakers reviewed the country’s automobile sector and questioned officials from the Engineering Development Board (EDB) about the lack of oversight.

The committee chairman said he had recently visited three motorcycle manufacturing plants and was disappointed by the quality of production. He asked EDB officials whether the board was responsible for monitoring manufacturing standards.

Committee members warned that poor quality standards could pose serious safety risks, particularly for EVs, e-bikes, and charging equipment, where battery failures or explosions could endanger users.

Lawmakers also questioned the quality of locally assembled vehicles and raised concerns about the limited oversight of major automakers operating in Pakistan. The chairman asked whether the government had any provisions in licensing agreements to ensure quality standards for vehicles produced by Toyota, Suzuki, and Honda.

An EDB official responded that those companies had established operations in Pakistan before the board was created, and the EDB was unaware of the original licensing arrangements. The committee directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to obtain the licensing agreements of the major automakers and present them at its next meeting.