NTC sans chairman causing businessmen concern

The National Tariff Commission (NTC) is functioning without a permanent Chairman for the last one year causing a great concern for the local businessmen and investors engaged in import of raw materials and finished products. Sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday that the NTN has practically become non-functional in the absence of the permanent Chairman for the last one year.
There is an urgent need for immediate appointment of the NTC Chairman for completion of pending investigations to check dumping of various items in the country. The Federal Government had established an autonomous body namely National Tariff Commission (NTC), under the Ministry of Commerce in 1990. Since then NTC has been performing for competitiveness of the domestic industries in 2000, it was given the additional mandate to implement Antidumping Law of the WTO and for this purpose Antidumping Duties Ordinance was promulgated in the year 2000. Till now the NTC has imposed antidumping duties against dumping of various products from different countries. The imposition of antidumping duties has provided level playing field to the domestic industry.
Sources said that this institution has become non-functional due to not having a permanent Chairman for the last one year. Due to the absence of the Chairman all decisions required to be taken by the NTC in different antidumping investigations are on the hold at various stages and this has resulted in revenue loss to the domestic industries. Additionally, the Government has lost huge revenue in the shape of import levies which would have been collected had the NTC remained operational during the last one year.
When contacted, an analyst opined that it is the duty of the Federal Government to comply with its obligations towards the International Organisations. The implementation of the antidumping regulation in Pakistan, in compliance with the requirements of the WTO, in its true letter and spirit is the responsibility of the Federal Government. As this important function of implementing the antidumping regulation in Pakistan is assigned to the NTC, hence, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure smooth running of the NTC. It is the requirement of the Antidumping Duties Ordinance to complete each investigation within the specified timeframe.
Thus, due to non-functional NTC, many investigations are held up near finalisation dates. This has created discouraging situation for the domestic industry which deserves protection against the unfair trade practices of the foreign exporters but only due to vacant post of Chairman NTC they have been deprived of its legitimate right. Analyst hoped that the Federal Government will appoint the Chairman in the NTC to make this institution perform its duties effectively at the earliest, experts added.