Used Car Importers Receive One-Time Relief

Pakistan has granted one-time relief to used car importers whose vehicles were caught in the transition to stricter inspection rules, allowing eligible shipments to move forward under relaxed conformity assessment requirements.

The relief applies to used vehicles shipped under master bills of lading dated between January 16, 2026, and March 9, 2026. These vehicles may be cleared without the Engineering Development Board-mandated pre-shipment inspection certificate, provided they meet the remaining conditions under the Import Policy Order 2022.

The temporary relaxation mainly covers vehicles imported under special schemes such as Gift, Transfer of Residence, and Personal Baggage, according to reported details of the government decision.

Officials have made clear that the measure is not a full rollback of the import policy. It is a limited exemption for shipments already in process before the new inspection framework fully took effect.

Under the relief, importers will still be required to follow documentation, customs, condition, and policy requirements. Vehicles with poor auction grades or accident-related issues may still face restrictions at clearance stage.

The decision is expected to ease pressure on importers who were facing delays at ports due to confusion over inspection certificates and the implementation timeline of new rules.

For buyers and dealers, the move may help clear some pending used car consignments, particularly vehicles imported from Japan. However, the broader import regime remains tighter than before, with authorities continuing to focus on compliance, vehicle condition, safety, and documentation.

The relief also comes at a time when Pakistan’s auto market is closely watching changes in imported vehicle duties, inspection standards, and the government’s policy direction on used car imports.

Local auto industry stakeholders are likely to keep pushing for strict checks, arguing that unchecked imports can affect domestic assembly and investment. Importers, meanwhile, say transitional relief is necessary where shipments were already booked before new requirements became fully enforceable.

For now, the benefit is limited to qualifying shipments within the specified date range. Future imports will still be judged under the updated rules unless the government issues another policy change.

 

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