This is what most of us have been commenting or writing about here on CSPK. The thing is these are businesses from another country. They did give Pakistan the benefit of the doubt and established their factory here. They were hoping things would be stable enough (this time around) to actually make something of their investment here. Unfortunately since than things have only gotten worse. Due to the current condition of the country and the constant rise of the dollar, the investment is now in free fall.
These companies are in business they cannot wait for us. They need to move at a very fast pace to expand. we cannot move with them. they will definitely go where they can get the most benefit. Thailand is stable with an established business community and is already very active in the auto industry. it was a no brainer for these companies.
They took a chance with us and it failed.
I wish this is something people ask these political leaders of ours who have been weakening our nation in their greedy power struggle when they come around to scream “vote do” at us…

Quote: “Right-hand drive electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as batteries for sale to other countries in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, will all be produced at Changan’s Thai plant.” /unquote

A few years it was reported that Changan has selected Pakistan as its export base to right-hand-drive countries.

02 May 2019: https://carspiritpk.com/first-local-assembled-changan-roll-off/

Now ~4 years past that announcement (today is 23 April 2023), Changan has gone to Thailand. Thailand is where Pakistani assemblers import their CKDs from. If Changan can export from Thailand, why would they send CKDs to Pakistan, assemble them and then export CBUs from Pakistan? They can sell both CKDs & CBUs directly from Thailand, just the same way Toyota, Honda, Nissam, Mitsubishi are doing.

In between there have been some ceremonial measures around an year ago:

12 May 2022: https://carspiritpk.com/first-local-assembled-changan-roll-off/
21 May 2022: https://carspiritpk.com/changan-oshan-x7-has-the-disruption-begun/

But radio silence since then – and now this news.

Either they will just relegate Pakistan to produce & export ICE CBUs, and they will use the Thailand base to produce & export the more technologically advanced and profitable EVs and hybrids. Obviously the market for pure ICEs is going to dwindle and the market for EVs and hybrids is growth oriented. Why would they keep investing in a dead market sector? There goes any future-proofing.

P.S: 22 April 2023 Eid-ul-Fitr 1444 day in Pakistan. So Eid Mubarak to all the readers & writers and best wishes & prayers for Pakistan. I hope good news comes to Pakistan always.