Pak Suzuki reaffirms Pakistan commitment, eyes export growth

KARACHI: Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited remains dedicated to Pakistan’s automobile sector after more than four decades in the country, Chief Executive Officer Hiroshi Kawamura said during a media briefing in Karachi on Saturday.

Kawamura highlighted the company’s historical significance, noting that Pakistan was Suzuki’s first overseas automobile production site, commencing in 1975.

“Pak Suzuki has always remained committed to its mission of providing affordable mobility to enrich the lives of people of Pakistan,” Kawamura stated, emphasising the trust earned from over 2.5 million customers.

The company boasts the largest dealership network in Pakistan, with 175 outlets across more than 100 cities, three times the size of any competitor’s network. Kawamura expressed optimism for the domestic market, projecting over 20 per cent growth in the automobile completely knocked down (CKD) market this year, with Pak Suzuki aiming to maintain its 45 per cent market share.

On the export front, Kawamura recalled past exports of over 3,000 Ravi pickups to Bangladesh and Nepal, along with spare parts and accessories to Europe, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia. He reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting government export initiatives and its active exploration of new international markets.

Kawamura emphasised Pak Suzuki’s pivotal role in developing the local auto parts vendor base over the past four decades, nurturing over 100 suppliers and facilitating the localization of high-tech components. The company annually procures approximately Rs50 billion worth of local parts, with these vendors now supplying other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). He highlighted a Rs17.4 billion investment in the localisation of the new Suzuki Every model, underscoring the company’s commitment to economic growth and job creation.

Kawamura called for government policy support to further industry growth, advocating for export incentives over mandatory targets. Addressing the government’s focus on the large scale manufacturing (LSM) sector, he pointed out that approximately 25 per cent of the market is occupied by imported used cars and suggested curbing these imports to boost local output. He also urged the elimination of duty concessions for used car imports under 1300cc and a reduction in the age limit for imported vans to three years from the current five.