March 11, 2007	Sunday	Safar 21, 1428

ISLAMABAD, March 10: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) collected Rs37.589 million in customs duty, sales tax and withholding tax on import of automobile battery and its part during the last two and a half years.

The CBR in a written reply to a question of the senate standing committee on finance said that that during the period under review around 133,267 automobile batteries and 10,869,414 parts were imported to meet the local demands.

The domestic installed capacity of the automotive battery was three million units per annum and constituted 64 per cent of the total demand. However, the shortfall was met through imports.

Automobile batteries attracted customs duty at the rate of 35 per cent followed by 15 per cent GST and 6 per cent withholding tax. The batteries were mainly imported from Japan, Korea, China and Thailand. However, import of second hand or re-condition was restricted.

The standing committee was informed that the imported automobile battery and its parts are assessed in terms of section 25 of the Customs Act, 1969. This section is based on concept of transaction value that is the price actually paid or payable for goods when sold for export to Pakistan.