ISLAMABAD: Türkiye has reportedly expressed regret over the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation by the National Tariff Commission (NTC) against imports of soda ash originating from the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Kenya, stating that the probe could undermine bilateral trade objectives agreed upon by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In its communication to the NTC, Türkiye argued that almost all economic indicators showed a positive trend during the injury period—either fully or partially—when compared to the base year, during which imports from Türkiye were zero. Therefore, it maintained that the injury claims made by the petitioners lack merit.
Türkiye has requested the NTC to terminate the ongoing anti-dumping investigation at the earliest without imposing any measures.
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While acknowledging that anti-dumping measures are a legitimate tool under WTO rules to protect domestic industries from injury caused by unfair trade practices, Türkiye emphasised that the imposition of such duties without sufficient justification could harm domestic competition. It warned that protectionist measures may hinder innovation, reduce consumer choice, and slow industrial development, while unfair import restrictions are not in the public interest as they limit access to diverse and affordable products.
In the present case, Türkiye believes that the petitioners are primarily attempting to block the entry of soda ash into the Pakistani market rather than addressing genuine concerns of material injury or unfair pricing. It expressed confidence that the Commission would consider these arguments, along with relevant provisions of the WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement and jurisprudence, before reaching a decision.
Meanwhile, in a letter to NTC Chairman, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, the Commercial Counsellor at the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad, recalled that the NTC initiated the anti-dumping investigation on July 18, 2025, following applications submitted by Lucky Core Industries Limited and Olympia Chemicals, which dominate soda ash production in Pakistan.
Subsequently, the NTC issued questionnaires to Turkish companies producing and exporting soda ash to Pakistan. In addition, an NTC delegation conducted on-the-spot verification visits to the offices and production facilities of Turkish companies in December 2025 to verify the information provided by the Pakistani petitioners. Earlier, in October 2025, the Turkish Embassy submitted the official views of the Government of Türkiye to the NTC.
“Our document consists of Türkiye’s views and assessments, as well as responses to the allegations made by Pakistani petitioners, who are legally supported by S.U. Khan Associates & Corporate Legal Consultants. The document also refers to relevant articles of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (the Anti-Dumping Agreement),” the Commercial Counsellor stated.
According to the Embassy, the Pakistan Glass Manufacturers Association (PGMA) also submitted its own objections and views to the NTC, prepared with the assistance of RIAA Barker Gillette law firm.
Commenting on bilateral relations, the Commercial Counsellor said that trade volume between Pakistan and Türkiye remains below potential despite strong political ties and historical relations between the two countries. He noted that both sides are working to expand trade and investment, including efforts to broaden the scope of the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), with the first round of negotiations scheduled to begin in Islamabad this month.
Türkiye reiterated that any groundless anti-dumping measure without sufficient justification would adversely affect the shared target of achieving a bilateral trade volume USD5 billion, as set by President Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Türkiye expresses its sincere regret regarding the initiation of this anti-dumping investigation. We have full confidence that a fair evaluation will be conducted. While reaching a decision, we trust that the Commission will take into account the official views of the Government of Türkiye, responses of Turkish companies, submissions of PGMA, and findings from the verification visits,” the Commercial Counsellor concluded, reaffirming the Embassy’s highest consideration for the NTC.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026