THIS refers to the news report ‘Car sales surge by 31pc in 9MFY21’ (April 14). We have noticed in the last couple of years that whenever the dollar gains strength against Pakistani rupee, car manufacturers immediately jack up the prices of their products.

In the last couple of months, however, the trend has changed and the rupee has gained substantially against the dollar. But the prices have not undergone any downward revision. This is despite the additional savings the manufacturers are enjoying in the form of lower duties, taxes and levies.

A car worth, say, Rs3 million is now actually costing Rs510,000 less to the manufacturers, but, unfortunately, none of them is willing to pass on the benefit to the customers, and all of them are continuing to gobble up massive profits.

It is time the government shook up the car manufacturers and made them pass on the benefit to the consumers.

Razak Latif
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2021