Imported cars flooded into Pakistan in September. Official figures show 2,407 new completely built up cars and 2,454 used cars arrived during the month, a combined 4,861 vehicles. New car imports were more than six times August's 391 units, while used imports more than doubled from 1,185.
The surge has alarmed local parts makers. PAAPAM, the association representing about 1,200 auto parts manufacturers, says every imported car is business taken away from a local supply chain. Here is what drove the jump, how much work the industry says it lost, and what it means if you are buying a car.
September imports at a glance
| Category | August | September | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New built up cars | 391 | 2,407 | More than six times higher |
| Used cars | 1,185 | 2,454 | More than double |
| Total | 1,576 | 4,861 | About three times higher |
The car import bill was already rising before September, as our report on the USD 814 million import bill in the first two months of FY27 showed.
What drove the jump
- BYD shipped more than 1,500 Atto units into the country in September, a record for the brand, ahead of local assembly at its Gharo plant
- Imports of used luxury cars climbed
- Small Japanese cars such as the Suzuki Alto, Daihatsu Mira and Toyota Yaris also arrived in larger numbers
Most of the new car surge came from a single brand stocking up, so it may not repeat at the same scale every month. The used car figure reflects steady demand for imported Japanese cars under the personal baggage, gift and transfer of residence schemes. You can see what BYD sells locally on our BYD page.
Why the numbers differ between reports
Figures for used car imports vary depending on which data set you read. Earlier Commerce Ministry data put September imports under the personal schemes at 2,276, a number it later corrected to 2,095, of which 2,047 came under the gift scheme, 47 as baggage and one under transfer of residence. The ministry says scheme imports from January to September 2026 totalled 16,651, down 55 percent from 37,035 a year earlier. The 2,454 figure covers used car imports more broadly. The rules for these schemes changed this year, as explained in our used import notification guide and our report on the Punjab transfer lock.
How much business local vendors say they lost
PAAPAM's argument rests on simple arithmetic. Industry estimates put the value of locally made parts at about Rs 1.5 million for each locally assembled car, and as much as 65 percent of component value in a car such as the Toyota Corolla.
- 4,861 imported cars multiplied by about Rs 1.5 million comes to roughly Rs 7.3 billion of parts demand that did not go to local factories in a single month
- That is demand for seats, wiring, glass, plastics, batteries and castings that local vendors would have supplied had the cars been assembled here
The figure is an industry estimate, not an official one, and it assumes each imported car would otherwise have been a locally built sale, which will not always be true.
PAAPAM's warning
PAAPAM chairman Abdul Rehman Aizaz accepts that imports give buyers more choice, especially around the Rs 5 million mark. But he asked whether the government should care more about an upper middle class buyer or a factory worker earning Rs 40,000 a month, and described the policy direction as a conspiracy to destroy several industries.
The association's main fear is the draft Auto Policy 2026 to 2031, which cuts the tariff on localised kit parts from 25 percent to 15 percent by FY31 and lowers duty on built up cars. We covered its full position in our report on the 15 percent parts tariff. The policy also ties export incentives to local content, which our export targets explainer looks at.
What it means for buyers
- More imported stock means more choice, particularly for electric cars and small Japanese hatchbacks
- Prices of imported used cars depend on duty, the rupee and the age rules, so check the landed cost before you commit
- Locally assembled cars come with dealer warranties and easier bank finance, which most imported used cars do not
- If the auto policy is approved, both imported and local prices could change, so keep an eye on the latest car sales figures
Browse imported and local options on our used cars and new cars pages, or put two models side by side on the comparison page.