If someone is asked to define the auto sector of Pakistan, the last adjective that would come to mind would be fast-moving. From the early 1990s to now, the Big 3 have sold outdated and antiquated models of cars and the consumers have had little choice in looking for an alternative. Now it seems that the consumers are changing their preferences as they feel their voice is not heard by the traditional manufacturers.Â
In recent years, the auto industry has been through tough times. In terms of cars sold, June 2022 saw more than 234,000 cars being sold in the country which shrunk to 96,000 by 2023 and further fell to just above 81,000 in June of 2024. This was the worst year in the last two decades which saw sustained growth in the industry. There were a myriad of factors which led to this decrease. Shrinking income, rising prices, depreciating rupee and a limit on imports meant that both supply and demand were impacted. Facing these tough conditions, auto assemblers had two options. They could either choose to reduce prices in order to generate demand or increase the prices in order to earn higher profits. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, they all chose to raise their prices even when their costs fell.
While the Big 3 had to languish with falling sales, Sazgar was able to see not only rising sales but was also able to sell at higher prices. In a space of two years, the company has been the toast of the town. The company was able to sell 1,600 units in 2023 which grew to 5,300 in 2024. In just the 4 months of 2025, the company has already sold 3,600 units compared to less than a thousand a year ago. The success at the company is not a fluke or out of luck. Engrained in the DNA of Sazgar is a constant need to change and look for the next big thing. The company is adaptive and welcomes change compared to its competitors who choose to ignore it. The content in this publication is expensive to produce. But unlike other journalistic outfits, business publications have to cover the very organizations that directly give them advertisements. Hence, this large source of revenue, which is the lifeblood of other media houses, is severely compromised on account of Profit’s no-compromise policy when it comes to our reporting. No wonder, Profit has lost multiple ad deals, worth tens of millions of rupees, due to stories that held big businesses to account. Hence, for our work to continue unfettered, it must be supported by discerning readers who know the value of quality business journalism, not just for the economy but for the society as a whole.To read the full article, subscribe and support independent business journalism in Pakistan
