Vehicle manufacturers in Pakistan are adhering to just 18 out of 200 internationally recognized automotive safety standards, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industry and Production was told. The remaining 182 standards are being completely ignored, even as car prices in Pakistan remain well above global averages.
The committee expressed deep concern over the widespread production of unsafe vehicles and called for immediate, strict enforcement against automakers failing to meet global safety protocols. Lawmakers lamented that, due to poor safety and quality, Pakistani vehicles are unfit for export, unlike those from India and China, which have become major players in the international automobile market.
The Secretary of Industries and Production informed the committee that the inclusion of two airbags is currently standard in vehicles. However, the committee chairman noted that even three leading foreign manufacturers operating in Pakistan are not complying with local regulations.
Members of the committee argued that automakers who have operated in Pakistan for decades without meeting safety standards should no longer be given leniency and must face penalties for non-compliance.
