KARACHI: Bike buyers, dealers and assemblers continued to face problems as the Motor Registration Wing Karachi did not resume registration of 80 locally assembled two-wheelers. The registration process was suspended from Tuesday.

Chairman Association of Pakistan Motorcycle Assemblers (APMA), Mohammad Sabir Shaikh said that Akbar Road, the hub of two wheeler market, now lacks buyers’ presence for the last few days.

He said in case the registration issue is not resolved on Saturday, buyers may not purchase new bikes from two main Sunday bazaars – one in Hyderi North Nazimabad and other in Korangi. These two bazaars are mainly organised for used-bike seekers but many assemblers and their dealers also display new bikes at their stalls on Sunday.

The Motor Registration Authority Excise and Taxation Civic Centre Karachi has asked the local bike assemblers to submit three documents relating to Production Certificate of Engineering Development Board (EDB), Pakistan Standard and Quality Control and C.M. License. However, assemblers said that they have already submitted the required documents.

He said demand of motorcycles has been on a rise as the masses, including those with cars, prefer traveling on two wheelers for saving fuel cost besides avoiding daily traffic jams.

Vice Chairman All Pakistan Motorcycle Association Shaikh Naseem Anwar said: “Around 400-500 bikes are sold daily in Karachi and the Revenue Department receives around Rs10 million per day in terms of registration fees.” He said around 1,000-1,200 bikes of Honda are sold every month in Karachi while Rangers, Police and CSD also lift around 200-300 bikes per month. Nasim said “more than 90 per cent of buyers prefer running the new bike on the roads after getting the registration number.”

He said customers, who had purchased bikes in the last week of September, were the worst hit as they had yet to get the registration book while dealers are also asking the customers to wait for few more days till the registration resumes. Some customers had made full payment to the dealers but were reluctant to lift the bikes due to registration problem.

“The government departments are not realising that only customers are suffering very badly,” he said.

PSMCL: Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) has increased the prices from October 1, 2013. The new price of Sprinter ECO, Sprinter ECO Deleted, Raider, GS-110 and GS-150 Euro II is Rs83,400, 78,400, Rs91,400, Rs105,000 and Rs111,500 as compared to Rs82,400, Rs79,400, Rs74,400, Rs87,400, Rs99,900 and Rs103,500 on May 21, 2013 respectively.

The company attributed the price hike to rupee devaluation against US dollar.