Import of basic raw material: PTA demands removal of quarantine condition

Chairman of Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), Amanullah Aftab has urged the ministry of commerce to remove condition of "Quarantine" for the import of basic raw materials for the industry i.e. raw hides & skins, wet blue of goat, sheep, lamb/, cow & buffalo, making PTA members unable to execute their export activities smoothly.
He said that the condition for "Quarantine" imposed thru SRO No 1067(I)/2017 dated 20.10.2017 for the fundamental raw material for leather tanning industry such as "raw hides & skins, wet blue of goat/sheep/lamb/cow & buffalo" at the import stage into Pakistan.
Amanullah Aftab said that the real spirit of SRO No 1067 was to get all food stuff / items quarantined at the import stage from the world to Pakistan for the safety & health concerned for the general masses, but unfortunately the raw materials for the leather Industry was inadvertently included in the SRO concerned for compliance by the custom authority, which has now become severe issue/problem for the tanning industry as getting import at large quantity being basic raw materials for the industry for necessary "value addition" from raw skins to finished value added leather with innovations for re-export purpose for yielding the sizeable foreign exchange for the country.
He also shared information with the media that the deep concern of the industry with necessary clarification has already been conveyed to the ministry of commerce & others in writing repeatedly for elimination/exemption of related H.S. Codes such as 4101.2000, 4101.5010, 4101.5020, 4102.1010, 4102.2110, 4102,2120,4103,9010, 4105.1000, 4106.2100, 4106.9100, 4105.3000, 4106.2200, 4106.9200 & 4112.0000, which are basic raw materials for the industry from the irrational condition of quarantine at import stage in Pakistan, which is completely unjustified as obviously not food items.
Amanullah Aftab also highlighted important aspects that these precious basic raw material for tanning industry are already covered with necessary "Quarantine certificate" at origin at the time of export to Pakistan, as such duplication of quarantine certificate in Pakistan again is completely unjustified/unnecessary/irrational, which is only causing severe hardships for our members in clearance of containers at ports against heavy demurrage charges for each container but opened new door of corruption for issuance of quarantine certificate(s) for each container, which is involved in million of Pak rupees.
On the other hand, the government has recently removed the custom duty on PTA's instance at import stage of basic raw materials for the Industry for the exclusive purpose to facilitate the leather industry meet the scarcity of raw materials in Pakistan for necessary "value addition" for re-export the value added finished leather to the world for fetching the most precious foreign exchange for the country.