Pakistan Auto Show 2026 spotlights MSMEs and local manufacturing

Pakistan's small and medium-sized automotive businesses are taking a prominent role at the 21st Pakistan Auto Parts Show 2026, which opened at Expo Centre Lahore on September 18. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority is participating as a strategic partner of the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers, with the three-day exhibition scheduled to continue through September 20.

The event has brought together automotive manufacturers, parts suppliers, business leaders and international delegates, including representatives from China. Participants are using the exhibition to display locally produced components, explore potential export markets and seek commercial partnerships. Organisers are positioning the show as a platform where Pakistani companies, particularly smaller manufacturers, can establish links with domestic and overseas buyers.

Adviser to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan said the government's industrial strategy includes strengthening micro, small and medium enterprises and building more competitive manufacturing value chains. He highlighted the automotive industry's potential for local production, innovation and investment, while calling for greater support to companies seeking to expand their role in the sector.

Khan also called for the exhibition to develop into a stronger international business platform focused on direct commercial engagement. He highlighted business-to-business meetings, memoranda of understanding and joint ventures as areas that could help participating manufacturers convert exhibition contacts into longer-term commercial relationships. Greater participation by smaller firms is also being encouraged as part of efforts to broaden Pakistan's industrial supplier base.

The exhibition comes as work continues on a new automobile policy. Earlier policy discussions by the Ministry of Industries and Production have placed increased localisation of automotive components among the priorities under consideration. Authorities have also been developing policies covering automobiles, auto parts and battery storage, with the stated objectives of strengthening domestic manufacturing and expanding exports.

SMEDA chief executive Nadia Jahangir Seth said small and medium businesses already play an important role in Pakistan's automotive parts and engineering industries. The partnership at the Lahore exhibition is intended to help these companies demonstrate their capabilities, connect with potential partners, explore new technologies and improve access to markets inside and outside Pakistan. Such opportunities could be particularly important for firms seeking to move beyond supplying limited domestic customer networks.

PAAPAM Convener Salman Saleem welcomed the strategic partnership and said stronger participation by smaller manufacturers could support efforts to present Pakistan's automotive capabilities to international buyers. The industry's emphasis on indigenous production also aligns with the broader push to increase the share of locally manufactured components and reduce dependence on imported parts where domestic production is commercially feasible.

Attention will next turn to a symposium scheduled for September 19 on the sidelines of the exhibition, where organisers expect industry representatives and policymakers to discuss a future roadmap for the sector. The longer-term impact will depend on whether business contacts, investment discussions and policy initiatives generated around the show translate into new manufacturing capacity, technology partnerships and export opportunities for Pakistani automotive businesses.