How the two and three wheeler industry, not cars, became the hallmark of Pakistan’s automotive sector

In Pakistan, the tale of two related industries unfolds like a family drama. The elder brother, the beleaguered four-wheeler vehicle industry, receives attention and investment but struggles to keep his head above water in a tempestuous sea of financial troubles. In contrast, the younger brother, the flourishing two and three-wheeler vehicle industry, thrives in the shadows. The brothers’ contrasting fortunes reflect the starkly different paths of the industries they represent.

Despite grappling with formidable economic challenges and a parched desert of letters of credit, the two and three-wheeler industry perseveres. It has been shattering sales and export records for years on end, while the four-wheeler industry only made national headlines with its inaugural export in 2022. Unlike its elder sibling, which has suffered innumerable plant shutdowns amidst the current economic maelstrom, it continues to prosper.

The two and three-wheelers are the sole beacon of hope in Pakistan’s automotive industry. They exemplify Pakistan’s unwavering aspiration for localisation. This is the story of how the unheralded brother harnessed the power of localisation to become the lone bright spot in Pakistan’s automotive history while the other persists in blaming macroeconomic shortcomings.