ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has exempted customs duty, an excess of 10 per cent ad valorem, on import of three raw materials to be used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.

CBR had already allowed import of maximum raw materials and packing materials to be used in manufacturing of medicines at 10 per cent ad valorem.

The raw materials to be exempted are: cefpodoxime, sarafloxacin and spectinomycine base (as dihydro chloride pentahydrate).

Official sources said that the partial duty exemption on the items had the recommendation of the health ministry.

The CBR, in this regard, issued two different notifications amending the budgetary notification SRO416, here on Tuesday.

Moreover, the customs authorities have further amended the SRO 416 issued on June 18, 2001 and omitted those items which were already allowed at 10 per cent ad valorem in customs tariff.

The items omitted from table I are: cytochromme-c, dextran 40 & 70 (pharma grade), O-(2 hydroxyethyl) amylopectin hydrolysate Polly (O-2hydroxyethyl) starch, protamine sulphate, and Simethicone (dimethicone).

From table II, aluminium phosphate gel or dried or colloidal paste, benzene calcium sulphonate, bismuth citrate, subcarbonate, subgallate, subnitrate and subiodide, catalysts, infusorial earth (kieselguhr/hyflo-supercel/celite), rhizome galangae and silicon emulsion were omitted.

The facility would be available to those importer, who shall make, at the time of clearance from customs, a declaration on the bill of entry that the goods will not be used for any purpose other than the manufacture of pharmaceutical products registered as drugs under the Drug Act, 1976.

Moreover, the importer-cum-manufacturer shall maintain record of the goods imported and the pharmaceutical products manufactured therefrom and shall produce the same whenever so required by the appropriate officer of customs of the director- general, health or an officer authorized by him in that behalf.