Economic conditions overshadow Pakistan Auto Show

Annual Pakistan International Auto Show 2020 earlier called Pakistan Auto Parts Show (PAPS) or Pakistan Auto Show concludes on Sunday, February 23, 2020, after a three days presentation at Expo Centre Lahore with barely any representation from other large industrial cities like Karachi, Hub, and Islamabad.
The tough economic situation forced already struggling automotive vendors to stay away from once a glamorous showcase of their capabilities and strengths.
Interesting things found at the show include:
• Launch of a new brand of vehicles in Pakistani market i.e. BIAC by Sazgar with three new models D20, D25 and X25
• Showstopper presentation of robotic welding machine
• Showstopper demonstration of a yellow-colored Suzuki Jimny upon difficult stony terrain along with Suzuki’s Dirt Bike
• Showstopper display of a 6000 cc black hummer Pickup by pakwheels.com
• Hyundai launch of Grand Starex and Tucson
The automotive industry, considered as a backbone of any industrial based economy and a stepping stone for developing economics had been facing severe crises for the last two years, this show has happened between the times when companies are going for shift cuts, production shut downs and labor lay offs.
Unsurprisingly brands like Toyota and Hino chose not to participate in the show so did the group companies by House of Habib which were a regular participant with various sister concerns including Toyota Indus Motors, Agri auto, Auvitronics, Thal Engineering, Thal Boshoku, etc.
Auto parts giants like General Tyres & Rubber, Super Groups of Industries, many Atlas group companies like Atlas Engineering, Atlas Auto Parts, Atlas Hi-Tech, and Atlas Metals were absent. Many others who participated chose to keep a low profile in order to keep the participation costs down.
For some previous years, there had been overwhelming participation turned up to occupying around two-third of the spaces by Chinese exporters it was nearly zero this time. A lot of emerging three-wheeler, motorcycle and their parts manufacturers, importers and distributors just to name a few, Crown Group, Future, ISH, N. J. Autos, Rastgar Group, Unique, etc. that have been sponsoring the event in past and displaying their products with innovative ideas could not be found anywhere in this exhibition. Besides Atlas Honda Limited, two and three-wheeler manufacturers were like evaporated.
There were quite a many university and training institutes who exhibited their capabilities and projects including National University of Science & Technology, University of Engineering & Technology Lahore, University of Lahore, COMSATS, Bahria University, PITAC, TUSDEC and a teaching manufacturing facility Karachi Tools, Dies & Molds Company (KTDMC) besides some private training firms. Time will tell whether it’s a result of improved industry-academia linkage the business community and educational institutes have started realizing the importance of or rather empty stands got occupied by economy-ridden participants to fill out the spaces.
An interesting gallery was dedicated to artisans showcasing their sculpture making talent using used auto parts