ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed an urgent overhaul of the National Tariff Commission (NTC) as part of a wider strategy to modernise the country’s trade policy and shift the focus towards export-led growth.
The directive came during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister to review the Commission’s performance, which was attended by senior government officials.
The prime minister called for a complete restructuring of the NTC, the government body responsible for overseeing customs duties, emphasising the need to strengthen its legal, administrative, and institutional capacity.
PM Shehbaz orders urgent reorganization of National Tariff Commission
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif stressed that the NTC must be “restructured along modern lines to fulfil its mandate effectively.”
He noted that the Commission should possess robust capabilities for collecting and analysing data on domestic business conditions as well as global trade flows.
Sharif also ordered a third-party review of the Commission’s recent performance, underlining the importance of aligning the body with the evolving needs of the country’s new tariff regime.
The decision follows the unveiling of the 2025-26 federal budget, which includes plans to lower the country’s overall tariff regime by more than four percentage points over the next five years.
Under the new National Tariff Policy 2025-30, the government aims to eliminate additional customs and regulatory duties, along with phasing out the fifth schedule of the Customs Act, 1969.
The revised tariff structure will include four duty slabs, ranging from 0% to a maximum of 15%.
The NTC plays a pivotal role in shaping the country’s trade policy. Customs duties are projected to contribute around 6% of total tax revenues in the upcoming fiscal year, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25.
While a modest share, the duties remain politically sensitive, particularly for domestic industries seeking protection from cheaper imports.
The prime minister also directed that the Commission’s appellate tribunal be made operational without delay. He underscored the importance of building an independent research capacity within the NTC to better address the challenges faced by local industries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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