PAAPAM Warns EDB’s Used Vehicle Import Policy Threatens 300,000 Jobs

The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM), representing over 1,200 automotive industry firms, has expressed grave concerns over an Engineering Development Board (EDB) directive issued on September 30, 2026. This notification permits any company to commercially import used vehicles without obtaining an EDB license.

PAAPAM Chairman Abdul Rehman Aizaz cautioned that this move imperils 300,000 direct jobs and 1.5 million indirect roles, potentially jeopardizing Pakistan's local automotive sector and industrial expansion. The association highlighted that the removal of regulatory safeguards, such as after-sales service and spare parts availability, could endanger consumer safety and undermine domestic manufacturing.

PAAPAM also cautioned that proposed tariff policy adjustments could undermine local manufacturing efforts and subject them to unfair competition. The group called on Haroon Akhtar Khan, the Adviser to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production, as well as the federal government, to reconsider the notification and uphold earlier pledges to safeguard local manufacturers, jobs, and economic stability. A copy of PAAPAM's letter was also forwarded to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.