Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) is moving at a snail’s pace as newly appointed member Saira Khattak did not assume charge even after a lapse of two months.

Daily Times learnt that NTC has been made operational in October 2016 after the prime minister gave approval to appoint Qasim Niaz as NTC chairman and Abdul Khaliq, Saira Khattak, Rubina Athar and Tippu Khan as its member.

Saira Khattak has not taken the charge so far. This is the Commerce Ministry’s fault which failed to provide another name to the PM. Documents show that the newly-formed team has just initiated the three inquiries in two months but there are 20 applications pending in the department. The three inquiries are antidumping investigation against alleged dumped imports of polyvinyl chloride (suspension grade) from China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand; anti-dumping investigation against alleged dumping of polyester filament yarn originating in and/or exported from China and Malaysia; and investigation against alleged dumped imports of deformed concrete reinforcing steel bars origination in and exported from China.

During the last two years, NTC received 20 applications for local industry for imposing the anti-dumping duties in which 10 applications were against the exported items from China, two from India, South Korea, Indonesia and one from Ukraine, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand but due to lack of members and litigation the NTC could not start the inquiries. The dumping items included chemicals, iron and steel, paper and paper board producers, textile industry and ceramic tiles.

According to new law, NTC would find the solution of the problems being faced by the local industry and domestic exporters. Its other duties are rationalization of the tariff and giving proposals for tariff reforms, removal of tariff anomalies and any other matter relating to tariff or trade measures that the federal government may refer to the commission.

Under the new law, the functions of the NTC include advising the federal government on tariff and other trade measures to provide assistance to the domestic industry and improving competitiveness of the domestic industry.

In addition to its prescribed duties, the commission would also perform functions with respect to international trade and other matters that may be assigned to it by the trade remedies laws or any other law for the time being.