KARACHI - Overall nationwide sale of the locally assembled Passenger Cars (PC) and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) grew 11 percent to 68,099 units, compared to 61,516 units sold for the same period last year. The combined sale of Toyota and Daihatsu brands (CKD and CBU) for the first half ended December 2010 grew by 8pc to 22,903 units as compared to 21,300 units sold for the same period last year. The Companys sales revenue for the first half year ended December 31, 2010 increased to Rs26,828 million, up by 11pc as compared to Rs 24,079 million posted in 2009, while profit after tax dropped 34pc to Rs 908 million over Rs 1,366 million for the same period last year. The drastic decline in half year profitability is mainly attributable to manufacturing operations affected by rising input cost due to deterioration of Rupee and other inflationary pressures that the company has absorbed in order to cushion the adverse impact on our valued customers. The Board of Directors of Indus Motor Company Ltd., met on Tuesday to review the companys financial and operating performance for the half year ended December 31, 2010. The Board of Directors declared an interim dividend of Rs 5 per share (50pc per share) for the half year ended December 2010 [December 2009: Rs 5 per share]. Auto sales for the first six months (July-December) of the financial year 2010-11 beat general market expectations that had factored the impact of devastating floods and galloping inflation to forecast a dampened demand for the period. Strong buying from the rural agricultural heartland on account of improved farm income emanating from robust commodity support prices remained the primary source for the high demand. However, the industry experienced severe erosion of gross margin due to continued escalation in the input costs from chronic decline of the rupee, power outages, rising inflation, reduction in auto financing and poor law and order condition.