LAHORE: The Pakistan Auto Show 2020 concluded at the Lahore’s Expo Centre on Sunday, attracting over 100,000 people to visit more than 100 stalls at the mega event.
The three-day event organized by the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) from Feb21-23 attracted large crowds of visitors and professionals who sought technological insights and valuable knowledge on the advancement of engineering in the industry.
The exhibition, stretched over 38,666 square feet, was supported by the Engineering Development Board (EDB) and PakWheels.com, while the sponsors included Honda, Suzuki, Hyundai and Millat Tractors.
The exhibition featured a vast range of auto products and its processing units from more than 100 international and local auto-manufacturers and a multitude of enterprises operating in the relevant sectors.
The exhibition showcased the robust growth and vast potential of Pakistan’s automobile industry, reflecting the nation’s pursuit to become a future hub for auto manufacturing.
The auto show also featured numerous insightful seminars and training workshops, conducted by very learned speakers and experts, who disseminated high-value information.
The event attracted precision-engineering experts, raw material suppliers, used-car dealers, service, repairs, body-work professionals, automobile financing companies and other service providers.
The industry experts held extensive deliberations to overcome the challenges and devise collective growth strategies. Several prestigious universities presented their innovations and insightful academic projects during the event.
It promoted a wide array of advanced technologies and solutions, including; engines, casting, forging, sheet metals, jigs and fixtures, along with electronics, car-paints, tools, tyres, batteries, plastic parts, rubber parts and accessories.
During the event, the visitors also acquired valuable information on car-financing, auto-insurance, and service centers, etc.
A closing ceremony was orchestrated to conclude the show with great fanfare where the leading personalities of the automobile industry, the engineering communities and the regulatory authorities were present along with senior government officials, prominent social personalities and showbiz stars.
Speaking on the occasion, PAAPAM Chairman Captain (r) Muhammad Akram said: “Looking at the resounding success of this year’s event, we are looking forward to next year’s auto show on a much larger scale. I would like to thank the stakeholders of this industry for making this show the biggest annual automotive event of the nation.”
He said the industry leaders urged the government to devise an effective Auto Policy in consultation with the experts, because that critical policy had long been awaited to enable faster progress of our industry.
“The PAAPAM is fully committed to play a key role as the binding force for the auto industry. Since its incorporation in the year 1999, the association has successfully grown to 299 registered members,” Akram said.
He said there are almost 3,000 auto parts manufacturers operating all over Pakistan; the industry has created almost three million jobs and opportunities for respectable income; while it has engaged 500,000 skilled workers as direct employees and 2.4 million indirect employees.
Akram further said the industry had generated a robust investment volume of Rs400 billion and was contributing Rs90 billion to the national exchequer per year.
“It has also achieved an import substitution worth $3 billion per annum and an exports volume of $200 million per annum. Pakistan is already the cheapest source in the world for producing tractors.”
Chief Organizer of Pakistan Auto Show 2020 Syed Nabeel Hashmi, speaking on the occasion, said the auto show had once again proved that it was the most resourceful event that would play a pivotal role in nurturing innovation, knowledge-exchange and collaborative ventures in the automotive industry.
Revolutionary ideas and technological concepts were shared at the vibrant platform by the world’s foremost technology companies, he added.
Global automobile brands and experts enriched the deliberations along with spare-parts manufacturers, component suppliers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM vendors), automobile traders, investors, buyers and enthusiasts, who wanted to expand their business networks and knowledge-base, Hashmi added.
PAAPAM’s Senior Vice Chairman Saad Sherani said: “As the demand for automobiles is expected to rise continuously over the next 3-5 years, the big challenge for Pakistan is to nurture local assemblers and vendors and ensure rapid investments in capacity-building to meet the sharply rising demand.”
The auto industry had already achieved a high level of localisation, whereby, it boasted 75pc to 96pc localisation in cars, heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs), tractors, motorcycles in three wheelers, he added.
