Rao Dilshad Hussain

Auto-rickshaws are generally known as popular source of travelling over here in Pakistan. Two kinds of Auto rickshaws like 2-stroke and 4-stroke have been facilitating the passengers across the country. 2-stroke rickshaws are the major factor of escalating pollution while 4-stroke rickshaws are considered as the environment friendly mode of transportation. These are tending to be less noisy and pollutants than old ones and 4-stroke CNG fitted rickshaws are more comfortable than the old rickshaws while 2-stroke rickshaws are prohibited on the many roads of the urban areas especially the most prestigious roads of the Lahore city because of spreading noise pollution and insecure driving.

However, the Government of the Punjab had taken an initiative and decided to replace 2-stroke with the 4-stroke CNG fitted rickshaws in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala in 2004-05. At that time Punjab government ordered to some manufacturers for producing more than sixty thousand 4-stroke CNG rickshaws, but they just able to supply at least two thousand which were not enough and could not fulfil the requirements. In 2005 the drive of launching 4-stroke CNG rickshaws had been foiled by the 2-stroke rickshaw owners and drivers’ associations and they went on strike for many days.

In fact, they didn’t want to bring about the environment friendly policy that is why the Punjab Government had just introduced few thousand CNG rickshaws. Meanwhile 2-stroke rickshaw owners and drivers unions were gathered to launch a negative campaign against the 4-stroke CNG rickshaws and they claimed that these are unable to cross the bridges and three passengers did not travel together. In the same year, because of negative propaganda just two thousand CNG rickshaws could have been registered while the sixty thousands were the need of the hour at that time.

But with the arrival of the 2006 the growth rate crossed the four thousand mark and so far more than twenty five thousand 4-stroke rickshaws have been registered in Lahore.

Money plus talked to many stake holders of this industry for enquiring about the need, growth, changes in the manufacturing structure and potential as well.

Asif Rehan Dar is the Chairperson of All Pakistan Rickshaw Manufacturing Association. He is the owner of Stahlco Commando Auto Rickshaw company, he said, “I have been dealing with this small industry since three years. The CNG 4-stroke auto rickshaw is comfortable mode travelling for the passengers. Everyone likes very much to travel with it. This is also environment friendly mode of travelling.”

“The CNG 4-stroke auto rickshaw industry is going ahead gradually and I have been manufacturing more than 400 rickshaws every month. I have been supplying rickshaws to Lahore, Faisalbad, Multan, Karachi,Viahri, Haripur Gujranwala, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Bannu and many other cities of the country. More than thirty thousand CNG rickshaws are going on just in Lahore while more than eighty thousand are the need.

“But the government is one of the biggest hurdle in the way of it’s growth. I don’t know that why the 2-stroke rickshaws have not yet to be banned in the metropolis of the country instead of promising of the government that 2-stroke would not be ran more after 31 December 2007. So far 2-stroke rickshaws have been running successfully despite of spreading pollution that is the danger sign for the masses while 4-stroke vehicles are comparatively better for travelling and every body likes to hire it.

“Government should immediately fulfil the promise and 2-stroke should be banned and removed from the urban areas. Government should lift the import duty and minimum taxes should be taken. Then this industry would further be growing. This will bring many opportunities in terms of employment and also help the many other industries as well,” Asif was of the view.

Arif Khan (President Auto Rickshaw Dealers Association Lahore) said while talking to money plus.

“More than thirty thousand 4-stroke CNG and more than twenty thousand 2-stroke registered rickshaws have been going on within the Lahore district. Every year the strength of the CNG rickshaw vehicles is escalating rapidly but still the Lahore’s need could not be accomplished, the Lahore market needs to have more than ninety thousand. With the increasing of the population of the city the auto rickshaw industry is growing because in the beginning of 2005 the total two thousand rickshaws registered but now more than thirty thousand registered CNG rickshaws running in Lahore. This sector has a lot of potential.”

“4-stroke CNG rickshaw is especially made for the people who are living in the posh areas of the city like Gulberg, model town, Defence, Shadman, Cantonment, Upper Mall, Jail Road and many other aristocratic areas of the city. They are happily travelling on the CNG rickshaws.

“More than 50 manufacturing companies have been registered but some of them like New Asia, Sazgar Minicab, Stahlco Commando, Millat, Mezaan Siwa Tezraftar, Road Prince, Star Asia, and United Auto are manufacturing better vehicles. All the companies are bringing the Engines from China while rest of the material is entirely local made and assembling is done over here. Importers of the engines have reservations regarding import duty, if the government overcomes the tribulations of the importers then this industry must be growing by leaps and bound and many investors would willingly come to this industry in near future.” he was of the view.

Jahanzeb Baig, National sales manager of the Road Prince auto rickshaw manufacturing company has said, “During 2004 the Punjab government launched a project of Sarsabs Punjab which objective was to introduce environment friendly rickshaws. Those would definitely be helping to keep the city clean and could be available in cheap and negotiable fares for the public.”

“Punjab small industry took the initiative to finance this project but unfortunately the project had been flopped because of the some technical and political reasons. Then ‘Sazgar rickshaw manufacturing company’ emerged and started production of the CNG fitted auto rickshaws. At that time the Punjab’s secretary transport Agha Nadeem played a key role to thrive on this project and he worked wonderfully. He facilitated and urged the investor to invest the money and because of his struggle eventually in 2006 more than eighteen companies registered,” he was of the view.

“In fact, at the end of the day destitute are it’s buyers those right now have nothing to buy the rickshaw that is why some investors invest to have many rickshaws. Then they hand over to destitute drivers those run the rickshaws for getting bread and butter. Most of the drivers of Lahore city have not the access to buy rickshaw.

“No doubt this industry has a much potential and growing gradually. At least 19 active companies have been giving quality production. That is why now More than 20% government servants are willingly running and earning respectable amount of money through the rickshaw industry,” He added.

Money plus talked to Yasir Ali who is the sales executive of the Pak-hero to enquire that why Pak-hero is not manufacturing now days that was once the biggest manufacturing companies in the town.

“Though the Pak-hero was considered in one of the pioneer manufacturing companies but right now we are not manufacturing the 4-stroke rickshaws because of many reasons including inflation, price hike, import duty enhancing the mark-up rate and competitors in the market. Because of winding up the unit more than 250 workers have been affecting. “Government should facilitate the investors and the problems of the investors should be resolved as soon as possible other wise with the dwindling of the profit rate many manufacturers are thinking to wrap up this business. Government should ban the terrible and polluted 2-stroke rickshaws instantly,” Yasir added.