PM launches first locally made car

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday said the country is shifting its focus from conventional textile industry, the largest foreign exchange earning source, to engineering, specially the auto industry, to meet World Trade Organisation challenges.

“We need to shift from textile to engineering and the government is committed to support the engineering sector, of which automobile manufacturing is a key component.” The premier’s remarks came at the launching of a car built by a company named Adam Motors in Pakistan, although the engine and transmission systems came from China. “Today is a red letter day in the history of our manufacturing sector ... Pakistan has joined the club of 16 countries having the capability of designing an original car,” the prime minister said. Heassured car buyers that by next year all premiums on cars would fade out in view of the increased supply, which would expect to touch half a million cars by the year 2009-10. He said the industry this year was likely to produce 141,000 units of cars, but it was still struggling to cope with the surging demand. staff report

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