ISLAMABAD: The government has introduced strict new regulations on the import of vehicles, effective from October 1, 2025, as part of commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The move aims to improve safety and quality standards in the automotive sector.
According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Industries and Production, the number of mandatory safety and quality standards for imported vehicles has been increased from 17 to 62.
These rules will apply to all imported vehicles immediately, while locally manufactured vehicles will be required to meet the new standards in phases, starting July 1, 2026 with six additional standards.
All imported vehicles must now have international certifications for environmental standards, safety, quality, and testing.
Only commercial importers will be allowed to bring vehicles into the country. For Japanese vehicles, certification from the Japan Automotive Appraisal Institute and the Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center will be required.
For Korean vehicles, certification from a Korean testing laboratory is mandatory, and for Chinese vehicles, a certificate from the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute will be needed. Pakistan’s Engineering Development Board (EDB) will oversee examination and verification procedures.
The new regulations prohibit the import of accident-damaged vehicles, cars with tampered mileage, unclear headlights, cracked windshields, or missing chassis or engine numbers.
Vehicles without verified airbags, those emitting environmentally harmful smoke, or fitted with damaged or substandard tyres will also not be allowed.
All imported vehicles will undergo post-shipment inspections by a third party, with costs to be borne by the importer.
For electric vehicles, additional conditions have been introduced. These include verification of battery life, performance, durability, charging standards, and battery recycling requirements. Vehicles that fail to meet these standards or show poor quality, weak performance, or environmental non-compliance will be completely banned from import.
This marks a significant shift in Pakistan’s automotive import policy, aimed at aligning with international safety norms and ensuring environmental protection, while tightening control over the used car market.
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