The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed its disappointment with the CEOs of the auto industry for their lack of seriousness. The committee drew attention to the manufacturers’ refusal to provide the Pakistani Auditor General with their data (AGP).
Statement Of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman:
PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan was displeased by the absence of executives from the car industry. He instructed the Ministry of Industries and Production (MoIP) to ensure that car company heads would be present in the next meeting. He added by saying that the MoIP also has to have control over the pricing issue. In a letter to Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister, PAC also demanded the reopening of car imports. They continued by claiming that the imports will aid in breaking the monopoly held by regional automakers.
Audit Authorities Highlighted The Issue Of Data Sharing:
Audit officials highlighted the issue of data sharing by mentioning the numbers of the automakers. According to the audit authorities, 11 automakers have not yet submitted their data to the AGP. In addition, they instructed the Carmakers to share data to the appropriate authorities or face consequences from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Carmakers Facing a Long-Standing Production Crisis:
While the PAC criticises the auto companies for their “lack of seriousness,” automakers are still dealing with a production issue that has been going on for a while. Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) confirmed yesterday that manufacture will stop production between October 4 and October 11, 2022. Moreover, In a letter to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), Honda Atlas claimed supply chain issues arising from government restrictions on imports and a deteriorating economy.
Similarly, in order to deal with the ongoing crisis, automakers including Hyundai Nishat Motors Private Limited (HNMPL), Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC), and Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) are regularly observing non-production days (NPDs).
