KARACHI: Master Motor Ltd (MML) will start local production of three vehicles from this month.

Speaking on the sidelines of Pakistan Auto Parts Show 2019 at the Karachi Expo Centre, MML Chief Executive Officer Danial Malik said Changan M-8, M-9 and Karvaan will be produced in Pakistan from this month while the first locally assembled vehicle will roll out next week.

The company has built the plant in Karachi with a production capacity of 30,000 vehicles per annum.

He said that all the three models to be locally assembled are already being sold in Pakistan and the response has been quite encouraging as these were launched after intensive insight from the end consumer and endless hours of product selection and improvement.

MML is a joint venture between Master Motor Corporation Ltd (MMCL) and Changan International Corporation with 70/30 equity stakes. “This is the first joint venture in Pakistan with a global brand to manufacture cars in Pakistan,” said Danial.

“Changan International has selected Pakistan as a strategic export base for right-hand drive (RHD) markets which means that vehicles produced in Pakistan will be sold to Changan’s distributors in South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and other RHD countries,” informed the CEO.

“We have already started to select vendors and initiate the process of intensive localisation, which will help promote and uplift the local industry and as a result, lower the cost of manufacturing to better compete in regional markets,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2019