3rd Schedule list: APMSPIDA for removal of motorcycle spare parts

KARACHI: Chairman All Pakistan Motorcycle Spare Parts Importer & Dealer Association (APMSPIDA), Khalid Waheed has said that motorcycle spare parts are not a consumer item and it should be removed from 3rd Schedule list which was included through STGO No 103/2019 Dated: 04.07.2019 for commercial imports, terming it totally impracticable at import stage.

He said to put MRP (Retail Price) on motorcycle spare parts at import stage means to put MRP (Retail Prices including GST) on the individual packaging on motorcycle parts at the exporting country before shipment which is totally impracticable. He said motorcycles has many models and thousands of items manufactured at various factories and importers have to calculate the imaginary retail prices 4 months before placing an order to the foreign exporting companies because it takes minimum 120 days, from placement of orders abroad, to get the goods in Pakistan.

There are many unfixed payments involved which cannot be calculated 4 months beforehand: floating foreign currency system in the country is a big hurdle, fluctuation in the exchange rate, which was seen last year at Rs168 to a dollar and now it’s at Rs153, ocean freight constantly goes up and down on daily basis, similarly port charges, clearing charges, demurrage charges are different at every shipment, sales are made at various cities of the country inland and freight charges cannot be same for every city which also has to be included in the MRP.

He said smuggled goods are selling in the country and prices cannot be fixed due to tough competition. Old and new stocks in case of change in cost have different MRP on the same product. The stock cannot sell at different MRP.

Chairman Khalid Waheed said although 850 M/cycle and 226 Cars register everyday but import of auto & motorcycle parts through custom is reducing day by day, custom revenue is also going down this year due to smuggling and inclusion of auto parts in the 3rd Schedule. Total import in the country July-FEB, 20-21 was 33.89 billion (PBC) the share of parts & accessories was just 0.71 percent (less than 1 percent) as smuggled goods got advantage due to the poor policy of higher taxes on motorcycles spare parts which comes to 93 percent at import stage and inclusion of 3rd Schedule made the import impossible.

Khalid Waheed said auto & motorcycle parts should be excluded from 3rd Schedule in order to discourage smuggling and unofficial channels so that legitimate import can play part in documented economy that will help increase custom revenue.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021