Motorcycle sales in Pakistan have taken a huge hit as they dropped by a whopping 80% because of high prices caused by inflation.
Dealers who sell motorcycles are asking the companies that make them and the people who provide the parts to lower their prices, so people can afford to buy them.
The Chairman of the Karachi Motorcycle Dealers Association Mohammad Ahsan Gujjar is worried about how bad the sales of motorcycles have got.
He said that even though the price of the US dollar has gone down compared to the Pakistani rupee and the cost of petrol has fallen, customers are still struggling because prices have stayed high.
Gujjar explained that they used to sell about 30,000 motorcycles every month in Karachi. But now, they're only selling around 6,000.
He's asking the companies that make bikes, like the ones from China and Japan, to lower the prices by Rs20,000 for 70cc motorbikes and Rs40,000 for bigger ones.
Japanese companies raised the prices of their motorcycles with 100cc, 125cc, and 150cc engines by Rs125,000 to Rs175,000 over the past year and a half.
Gujjar thinks they should change that because the US dollar is worth less now, around Rs284, and the materials to make the bikes cost less too. So, the bike prices should come down.
The dealers in Karachi sell all kinds of bikes, from Atlas Honda and Suzuki to Super Power, Super Star, Unique, Hi-Speed, and more.
Gujjar pointed out that most people buy regular 70cc bikes, especially those from the middle-class and lower-middle-class groups.
The head of the association also warned that dealers are finding it hard to keep their businesses running because they have to pay their workers, bills, and other costs, and if things don't get better soon; they might have to close down.
