Pakistan's vending industry is highly developed and modernised as it manufactures automotive parts and accessories of international standard. This was disclosed by former Chairman of Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam) M. A. Malik while talking to Business Recorder here on Friday.
He said that the quality and the standard of parts and accessories, manufactured by Pakistani vendors, was monitored and approved by the international licensees and principals. Malik said it was a matter of pride and prestige for Pakistan that the local tractor parts were being exported to European and American countries because of their high quality and standard.
He lamented that some elements were undermining the quality of Pakistani manufactured products for their petty motives and benefits. "The industrialists have invested billions of rupees in over 800 vending units to make Pakistan self-sufficient and exporter of tractors, cars and trucks," he added. About the reported short supply of tractors in the local market, Malik said the tractor manufacturers had already contradicted such malicious reports.
"In their meeting with Federal Industries Minister Manzoor Wattoo recently, tractor manufacturers made it clear that anybody could buy any number of tractors from the market," he added. Malik said the local manufacturers and vendors had the capacity to assemble at least 80,000 to 100,000 tractors of the highest quality per annum, and if someone wanted to buy 100 locally manufactured tractors, he should contact him.
Malik said that the price of the Pakistan-made tractor was the lowest in the region and the industry was saving millions of dollars in the foreign exchange. He said after huge investments in the local automotive parts and accessories manufacturing units, they were in a position to provide auto parts to 0.5 million cars, trucks, tractors etc per annum.
He said the import of tractors at almost double the price of the locally manufactured tractors in foreign exchange, hence it would be a disservice to the local industry and hundreds of thousands of skilled, semi-skilled and other workers who get their livelihood from this essential industry. He said instead of relying on imports, the government should implement a plan for hundred percent deletion and transfer of technology of auto industry.