LAHORE: Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that a strong automotive industry contributes far beyond vehicle production, supporting employment, engineering capabilities, technology transfer, localisation and a wider network of domestic suppliers.
He expressed these views while addressing the Pakistan International Auto Show Gala Dinner, organised by the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM), at a local hotel on Saturday.
Gilani said the event was an occasion to recognise achievement, enterprise and perseverance. He congratulated the award winners, saying their accomplishments reflected not only individual excellence but also the capability, resilience and innovative potential of Pakistan’s automotive and engineering sector.
“Here, we see components, machinery and engineering solutions representing years of investment, technical learning and hard work by Pakistani entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians and workers,” he said.
The Senate chairman said industrialisation was often spoken of in theory, but at the auto show it had taken a clear shape. He said the automotive industry demanded precision, consistency and long-term commitment, qualities that deserved recognition.
He said the companies present at the event had persevered through difficult years, invested in localisation and demonstrated their confidence in Pakistan through efforts and capital.
Gilani noted that the sector continued to face challenges, including access to inputs, financing pressures, changing market conditions and the need for greater policy predictability. He said these concerns merited constructive and sustained engagement among industry, government and Parliament.
He maintained that the growth of the industry was closely linked with the broader strength of the country’s manufacturing economy.
“As Chairman of the Senate, I believe Parliament has an important role in providing a platform for dialogue, understanding the concerns and perspectives of productive sectors, and contributing through its legislative and oversight functions to achieving an environment conducive to sustainable economic activity,” he said.
The Senate chairman said Pakistan’s geographical location placed it at the crossroads of Central Asia, the Gulf and Africa. He added that an industry which had mastered international standards had every reason to look outward with confidence and move from relying solely on the domestic market to exploring international opportunities.
Gilani said investment in people was equally important, adding that engineers, technicians and graduates who chose to build their careers in Pakistan were the true capital of the sector.
He said the Pakistan International Auto Show was an inspiration and demonstrated what Pakistani enterprise had achieved through innovation, investment and technical expertise.
“May this evening inspire greater ambition, partnerships and renewed confidence in Pakistan’s industrial potential,” he said.
Earlier, PAAPAM Chairman Usman Aslam Malik and organiser Syed Nabeel Hashmi also addressed the gathering.
Later, the Senate chairman distributed awards among the recipients.
