Malaysia’s Proton Motors has entered into a Joint Venture (JV) with Pakistan’s Al-Haj group to produce Proton Cars in Pakistan. According to the press statement released by Proton motors the plant, to be built at a Greenfield site in Karachi, will be owned and operated by ALHAJ Automotive, the official distributor for Proton vehicles in Pakistan and is expected to commence operations by the first half of 2021. Malaysian-made Proton vehicles (CBU) will be made available in Pakistan in the second half of 2020.
Under the JV the first ever CKD assembly plant for Proton vehicles will be established in Pakistan at a Greenfield site near the southern port of Karachi. Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohammad and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, His Excellency Mr Imran Khan, had recently signed a ceremonial marble plaque at an event held in Islamabad.
With an initial investment of US $30 million the plant will create 2,000 direct employment opportunities in its first three years of operations. It is estimated that a further 20,000 indirect jobs will also be created as a result of the new plant being commissioned.
The Malaysian-based Corporation, Proton was established in 1983 and has so far sold more than 3 million cars. Proton cars are sold in more than 25 countries including Britain, Singapore and Australia. This will be Proton’s first assembly plant to be set up in any South Asian Country.
