The Pakistani automotive market has been reduced to a second-rate destination for obsolete vehicles, with Toyota leading this disturbing trend. The locally assembled Toyota Yaris is a glaring example an outdated, poorly spec’d model that falls embarrassingly short of international benchmarks. While global markets move forward with innovation and safety, Pakistani consumers are handed substandard products at premium prices.
The Yaris offered in Pakistan is essentially a rejected, obsolete variant no longer viable elsewhere. Its outdated design, lack of modern safety features and basic technology reflect a manufacturer’s blatant disregard for local buyers. Even more alarming is the inflated pricing structure, where an inferior product is sold at rates unjustifiable by global comparisons. This is not business it is an exploitation similar to the practices of East India Company.
Worse still, the government’s indifference has allowed this predatory practice to thrive. Rather than regulating quality standards or protecting consumers, authorities remain fixated on excessive taxation, turning the auto sector into a cash cow at the expense of both industry growth and consumer rights. This dangerous complacency risks dismantling local manufacturing credibility and halting domestic automotive innovation entirely.
The situation demands immediate corrective action. The government must enforce strict quality standards, curb excessive taxation and hold manufacturers accountable for the products they deliver. Without serious intervention, Pakistan’s automotive industry faces collapse reduced to an assembly hub for outdated, overpriced, and globally discarded vehicles.