Cut in car prices to be notified in few days, says Bakhtiar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Industries and Production Khusro Bakhtiar has said the prices of different vehicles are coming down in the country as a result of tax relief announced by the government for the auto sector.
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhary on Wednesday, Bakhtiar said that the notification regarding reduction in the prices of vehicles will be issued in the next few days.
He said the new auto policy will be furnished before the cabinet next month for approval. He said the policy will especially focus on localisation and making the auto sector export oriented. He said that the government’s focus will be to ensure availability of a quality car to the people at a fair price.
The minister for industries and production pointed out that 164,000 vehicles were manufactured in the country last year. This capacity will be enhanced to 300,000 this year. He said this will provide additional 300,000 job opportunities to the people.
He said 2.6 million motorcycles were manufactured last year and this capacity will be enhanced to three million units this year. This will provide additional seventy five thousand job opportunities.
Khusro Bakhtiar said that special facilitation is also being extended to those who are purchasing a car for the first time. The minister said it will also ensure that the customers get their vehicles in a timely manner. He said there will be a penalty if the customers were not provided with vehicles in sixty days’ time.
Khusro Bakhtiar said the manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles will also be encouraged which will also accrue benefits for the economy.
In his remarks, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhary said the present government has put the economy on the right track. He said the current account deficit has been brought to zero whilst the industries and the agriculture sectors have been revived. – TLTP