Key points
- Law will be for all vehicles manufactured or imported into Pakistan
- Violators may face up to three years in jail
- Rs10 million fine for unsafe vehicles
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the country’s first law to ensure minimum safety in locally assembled and imported cars.
It has proposed up to three years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Rs10 million for violators.
According to The Express Tribune, the Motor Vehicles Industry Development Act was first cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC) and then ratified by the federal cabinet.
Minimum safety
A cabinet member was quoted as saying that the law aims to enforce minimum safety, quality, performance, and environmental standards for all vehicles manufactured or imported into Pakistan.
Pakistan has so far implemented only 17 of the 163 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) standards from 1958.
Longstanding complaints
Despite longstanding complaints by consumers and parliamentarians about the poor quality of locally assembled cars, this is the first time the Ministry of Industries and Production has recommended legally binding minimum safety standards for vehicle users’ protection, The Express Tribune reported.
