LAHORE: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) of Pakistan has issued anti-dumping duties of up to 21% on Chinese import of polystyrene. Many importers now find themselves in a difficult situation due to this decision.
One importer complained, “The government is assuring that they will cut duties gradually but the new decision of NTC is causing trouble for both exporters as well as importers. This conflicting strategy may harm Pakistan’s economy further.”
Following the decision, importers wrote to Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, seeking the immediate withdrawal of the June 18, 2025, notification made by the NTC. They have also written to the NTC tribunal and intend to appeal the decision at court.
The product investigated comes under PCT Codes 5402.3300 and 5402.6200, and duties will be charged for five years from November 15, 2024.
As per the NTC, the final anti-dumping tariffs are greater than the preliminary tariffs that were levied in the past. Yet, the rate difference will not be recovered, according to section 55(2) of the Anti-Dumping Act.
The NTC also stated that the new anti-dumping duties will be on top of any other duty or tax already levied on the imports. The duties will be levied in a similar manner as customs duty under the Customs Act of 1969, and the proceeds will be credited to NTC’s non-lapsable PLD Account.
