Chinese carmaker Geely Auto has formally entered the Pakistani market in partnership with Bestway Group, opening a new chapter for the country’s growing electric vehicle segment. The formal introduction took place at a ceremony at Park View City in Islamabad, where senior figures from both organisations, industry leaders and members of the media gathered to mark the start of the venture.
The launch brings Bestway into the automobile business for the first time, adding cars to a portfolio that already spans cement and banking. Bestway Automotive will act as Geely’s sole authorised distributor in Pakistan, taking charge of sales, customer support and after-sales service as the brand builds its presence across the country. The two partners are also preparing for the next stage of the project, with Bestway readying its Karachi facility so that Geely vehicles can eventually be assembled locally rather than imported in full.
At the centre of the evening was Geely’s global brand idea, “See the World in Full”, a philosophy built around the belief that driving should be about more than simply travelling from one place to another. For Geely, mobility is meant to open up new experiences and new possibilities, and that thinking shapes how the company designs its cars, blending engineering, technology and styling into vehicles that are meant to feel both practical and enjoyable.
Three models were revealed at the launch, each aimed at a different kind of buyer. The EX2 is a small, fully electric hatchback built for city streets, while the EX5 is a fully electric sports utility vehicle with more space for families. The third car, the Starray EM-R, uses range-extended electric technology, pairing electric driving with a small petrol engine on board so that drivers are not limited by charging alone. Together, the three cars give Pakistani buyers an early taste of the range Geely hopes to build in the market.
Speaking at the ceremony, Irfan Sheikh, Bestway Group’s managing director for non-banking businesses in Pakistan, described the evening as a proud moment for the company. He said the partnership brings together Bestway’s decades of experience in building businesses in Pakistan with Geely’s worldwide expertise in making cars, and he confirmed that the aim is to have locally assembled Geely vehicles on Pakistani roads within the next few months. He added that the group sees strong potential in the partnership and is committed to making Geely a recognised and trusted name in the country.
Haider Choudrey, Bestway Group’s chief executive, placed the launch in the wider story of the group’s investment in Pakistan. He noted that Bestway has already invested more than 350 million dollars in the country, creating over 20,000 jobs and supporting livelihoods over the past three years alone, and said the move into cars extends that commitment into a new sector. The partnership, he explained, should open up opportunities for local manufacturing, new jobs, skills development and a stronger automotive supply chain, while also giving Pakistani consumers more choice and better access to global car technology.
From Geely’s side, Evin Ye, vice president of GAIC and managing director of Geely Auto ASEAN, said Pakistan is the company’s first market in South Asia and one it sees as holding significant promise. He described Bestway as a partner that understands the local market and shares Geely’s focus on customers, and stressed that the venture is a long-term commitment rather than a short arrangement, with the goal of building strong customer support and bringing safe, intelligent and high-quality mobility to Pakistani families.
The arrival of a major Chinese carmaker in Pakistan comes at a time when electric vehicles are steadily gaining ground around the world, and when Pakistani buyers are increasingly looking for modern, efficient and well-equipped cars. If Bestway and Geely deliver on their promise of local assembly, competitive pricing and reliable after-sales support, the partnership could do more than add three new models to showrooms. It could help build a small but real electric vehicle industry in Pakistan, create skilled work, and give ordinary drivers a genuine alternative to the petrol and diesel cars that have long dominated the country’s roads.
