20 January 2004	Tuesday	27 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The value of dutiable imports registered 22.9 per cent growth during the July-December period of the current financial year, over the same period of last year.

Official figures released by the Central Board of Revenue here on Monday showed that the total value of dutiable imports stood at Rs259 billion during the first half of the current financial year against Rs210.7 billion during the same period last year, showing an increase of 48.3 per cent. And the total value of imports stood at Rs392.6 billion during the period under review against Rs355.5 billion over the same period of last year, showing an increase of 10.4 per cent.

Further break-up showed that the total value of duty-free imports, however, declined by 33 per cent and stood at Rs96.5 billion during the first six months of the current financial year against Rs144.8 billion during the same period last year.

Due to this increase in the value of dutiable imports, the revenue collection registered a growth of more than 40 per cent during the July-Dec period of the current financial year, over the same period of last year.