The government of Pakistan has changed customs duty structure, with effect from July 1, 2022, on the import of specified goods from SAARC Member States, Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, imports from Malaysia, Turkey and Iran Preferential Trade Agreement and Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement.
The concessionary rates of duty would be applicable on the imports made from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)-an economic and political organization of eight countries in South Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
From July 1, 2022, the concessionary rates of customs duty would be applicable on the specified items under the SAARC Member States, Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, imports from Malaysia, Turkey and Iran Preferential Trade Agreement and Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement.
Under the notification, the FBR has exempted the import into Pakistan from SAARC Member States, the goods specified, falling under the Heading and subHeading numbers of the First Schedule to the Customs Act from so much of the customs-duty as is in excess of the rates specified. This is subject to the condition that the imports are made in conformity with the “Rules of Determination of Origin of Goods under the Agreement on SAFTA” and the “Operational Certification Procedures For South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), Rules of Origin” and further subject to the Import Policy Order notified by the Ministry of Commerce.
The FBR has amended S.R.O. 280(I)/2014 under the S.R.O.1248(I)/ 2022 in this regard.
The FBR has also exempted on import into Pakistan from Sri Lanka, if made in conformity with the “Rules of Determination of Origin of Goods under the Free Trade Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Pakistan-Sri Lanka FTA Rules of Origin)” and the operating “Certification Procedures for the Rules of Origin”, notified by the Ministry of Commerce.
The FBR has also issued S.R.O. 1249(I)/2022 to amend S.R.O. 1261(I)/2007 relating to the exempted imports from Malaysia.
The FBR has notified S.R.O.1250 (I)/2022 to amend S.R O. 558(I)/2004 to exempt the goods specified from so much of customs-duty as is in excess of ninety per cent of the duties leviable. This is subject to the condition that they have been produced or manufactured in Iran or Turkey and imported into Pakistan in conformity with the ECO Rules of Origin notified by the Federal Government for implementing the ECO Protocol relating to preferential tariffs among members of the ECO. The exemption is available on the imports into Pakistan from the SAARC member States, if made in the conformity with the SAARC Rules of Origin issued by the Ministry of Commerce.
The FBR has notified S.R.O. 1251 (I)/2022 to introduce amendments in the S.R O. 894(I)/2006 to allow exemption of goods to the extent of percentage of concession on the import into Pakistan from Iran, if made in conformity with the Pakistan – Iran Preferential Trade Agreement Rules of Origin, 2004, as notified by the Ministry of Commerce under the Preferential Trade Agreement between the Pakistan and Iran.
The FBR has also released S.R.O.1252 (I)/2022 to amend S.R.O. 741(I)/2013 relating to the exemption on the import into Pakistan from Indonesia of the goods from so much of the customs-duty specified as is in excess of the rates specified. Provided further that the goods shall be imported in conformity with the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement Rules of Origin, 2012 notified by the Ministry of Commerce vide Notification SRO 1485(I)/2012 dated 22nd December 2012, read with the Import Policy Order as notified by the Ministry of Commerce, from time to time.
