Govt considering restoration of RD on vehicles, mobile phones

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government is considering restoration of regulatory duties on vehicles and mobile phones.

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Chairman, Asim Ahmad was talking to the media after the visit to the headquarters of the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence on Thursday.

He said that the Ministry of Commerce imposes regulatory duties on vehicles and mobile phones.

According to the FBR Chairman, the time-bound SROs dealing with the RDs on cars and mobile phones expired on March 31, 2023 and therefore RDs were automatically withdrawn from these items at the import stage.

The government in August last year had imposed RD on 750 items including vehicles and mobile phones to curtail imports.

Later on, the government extended the RD on 749 items excluding Electric Vehicles till March 31, 2023 and after expiry of this date, the Ministry of Commerce had not extended the date.

Sources said that the Ministry of Commerce cannot impose RD for an indefinite period. This was a temporary measure.

He said that the Tariff Policy Board decides imposition of RD on items and based on the recommendation of TPB, and FBR issues the SRO.

Currently, there is no chairman of NTC so that’s why no meeting of TPB has been held in recent days. The other members of TPB are Commerce Minister, with Minister for Industries & Production, Secretary Finance, Secretary Revenue, Chairman FBR, Secretary Commerce, Secretary Board of Investment.

Sources said that if the government decides to impose RD on Cars or mobile phones then TPB will give recommendations  and there is no meeting expected during this week.

Meanwhile, the DG I&I Customs on Thursday briefed FBR Chairman Asim Ahmad on the anti-smuggling operations which were conducted by the Directorate General of  Intelligence & Investigation- Customs in Balochistan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Karachi.

The anti-smuggling operations of the Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation- Customs have resulted in the seizure of essential commodities, dry fruits, cigarettes, Indian-origin gutka and shisha flavors worth Rs. 754 million during the last four days.

The FBR chairman visited Customs Intelligence Headquarters Islamabad with a view to applaud the anti-smuggling operations of the agency. The chairman lauded the efforts of Faiz Ahmad, Director General, and his team.