Vehicle sales in Pakistan dropped by 5% in April compared to March, mainly due to transport issues in Sindh. According to a report, 10,596 sports utility vehicles (SUVs), pickups, and vans were sold last month. While this marks a 1% increase from last year, the monthly decline was linked to highway closures that caused delivery delays. However, new car models and easing inflation helped maintain some buying interest.
Experts say the yearly rise in car sales shows signs of economic recovery. Topline Securities’ Maiesha Sohail said sales of these vehicles in the first ten months of the fiscal year reached 111,464 units. That’s 40% more than the 79,596 units sold in the same period last year. Lower interest rates, better supply, and stable prices encouraged more people to buy cars. Buyers were also drawn by newly launched models and better financing options.
Company-wise, the performance varied. Pak Suzuki saw a 12% drop in sales in April and a 33% decline from last year. Still, its ten-month total rose to nearly 54,000 units, up 30% year-on-year. Honda Atlas sold 1,707 units in April, a 70% jump from last year. Indus Motor sold 24,877 vehicles in ten months, a strong 58% increase. Hyundai Nishat saw a small drop in monthly sales but still gained 18% over the year.
Sales of motorcycles and rickshaws also rose. In April, over 135,000 two- and three-wheelers were sold. This was 26% higher than last year and 6% more than March. The total for the ten-month period crossed 1.2 million units. Falling prices and better availability helped boost these numbers. Smaller, cheaper vehicles remained popular among buyers facing budget limits.
However, the tractor industry showed weak performance. In April, only 1,602 tractors were sold. That’s a 48% decline from the same month last year. Monthly sales were also down 4%. Total sales for the fiscal year stood at 24,832 units, which is 36% less than last year. Experts blame falling farm income and high costs for this drop.