Interview with Danial Malik, CEO, Master Changan Motors.
AURORA: In Pakistan, the automotive industry has been through a rough patch in the last two years. Going forward, what is the current situation?
DANIAL MALIK: The auto industry experienced its worst years in history in 2018 and 2019. Since then it has recovered, and faster than expected, thanks to lower interest rates and the stimulus the government is trying to bring to the economy. Historically, the auto-market has been subject to cycles of ups and downs and when it goes up, it really goes up and when it goes down, it goes down fast – sometimes by 40 to 50%. An automobile is the most expensive consumer durable people buy in their lifetime. Because it is a high involvement purchase, it is also easy to put off; every time there is a hike in interest rates or the economy hits a rocky patch, people hold off making the purchase. Since the introduction of the Automotive Development Policy 2016-2021, a lot of new entrants have c