Key points
- AIRE Park will have 264 specialised operational units
- Project targets $500 million in exports and $200m forex surplus
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to establish a 150-acre automotive facility at Port Qasim to import, refurbish and re-export used vehicles, the Maritime Affairs Ministry said.
The proposed Auto Import-Refurbishment-Export (AIRE) Park will operate as a dedicated, walled-off zone where imported vehicles can be repaired and upgraded to export standards before being shipped abroad without entering Pakistan’s domestic market.
The first phase will comprise 264 operational units across five specialised segments, including 30 commercial units, 84 refurbishment workshops, 60 vehicle display units, 20 machinery yards, and 70 auto spare parts units.
Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the facility would create an integrated platform for vehicle import, refurbishment, display and export.
Its location at Port Qasim is expected to reduce inland transportation and logistics costs.
Pakistan plans $500 exports from Auto Zone
Project proponents estimate the AIRE Park could generate annual exports of around $500 million and a net foreign exchange surplus of approximately $200 million, according to the ministry.
The initiative follows an Economic Coordination Committee decision in April allowing the temporary import of used vehicles and auto parts for refurbishment and subsequent re-export under a pilot scheme backed by the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
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Under the framework, vehicles imported under the scheme must be re-exported and cannot be sold in Pakistan. The model draws on Dubai’s Jebel Ali system, where used vehicles are refurbished and re-exported without entering the domestic market.
The ministry has not announced a timeline for the facility’s establishment. The zone is planned for phased expansion according to market demand.
