THIS refers to a report, ‘NTC slaps up to 41pc duty on Chinese steel’ (Feb 9). The ship breaking yards at Gadani supply raw material to steel re-rolling mills in Pakistan.

Since the major explosion and fire in an oil tanker about three months ago, ship breaking work is at a standstill and prices of steel products have shot up, adversely affecting the building construction industry and the manufacturing sector.

Instead of increasing the import duty, the National Tariff Commission should have slashed it to ease prices till such time as Gadani resumes supply.

The NTC should help the industry in this hour of need by reducing import duty to lower prices.

Asif Jah

Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2017