'Destruction of our showroom a significant loss for us,' says Audi Pakistan after protesters set Lahore outlet on fire

The impact of political unrest unleashed in Pakistan in the wake of Imran Khan's arrest, has hit Audi Pakistan. On Tuesday, rioters descended upon Audi's showroom in Lahore, ransacked the building and set it on fire. The pictures of the burnt-down showroom is doing the rounds on social media, and has gone viral.

On Wednesday, Audi Pakistan released a statement where it said: “We are deeply saddened to inform you about the unfortunate incident that took place during last night's riots in Lahore. Regrettably, our Audi showroom in Lahore has been subjected to severe destruction.”

The statement further reads, “The safety and security of our employees and customers are of paramount importance to us. Due to the escalating violence and unrest in the area, we were unable to prevent the damage inflicted upon our showroom despite our best efforts.”

“Our primary concern during such situations is the well-being of individuals, and we are thankful that no one was harmed during the incident. The destruction of our showroom is a significant loss for us. We have invested considerable time, resources, and dedication in creating a welcoming and exceptional environment for our customers. We deeply value the trust and loyalty of our customers and assure them that we are working diligently to overcome this setback,” it added.

The company further said that in the aftermath of the unfortunate event, they are collaborating closely with the local authorities and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident and apprehend those responsible for this act of vandalism. 

They said, “We will fully cooperate with the authorities throughout the investigation process. We would like to express our full support to the owners of the building and the building management team during this difficult time. We understand the challenges they are facing and want them to know that we stand behind them.”

“During this challenging period, we are actively exploring alternative options to ensure uninterrupted services to our esteemed customers. We understand the inconvenience caused and would like to express our sincere gratitude for your patience and support during this time. We are committed to rebuilding our showroom and restoring the exceptional experience that our customers have come to expect from us. We will spare no effort in repairing the damages and resuming our operations as soon as it is safe to do so. Once again, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our customers, employees, and partners for support and understanding during this challenging period,” the company said.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was arrested by Rangers in the Al-Qadir Trust case on Tuesday, which led to massive protests and demonstrations by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters across the country. This protest resulted in violence, destroying various public properties and infrastructure in the country.