ISLAMABAD, April 30 The government has allowed custom duty-free import of new cars of 1350cc or less by disabled people for personal use, the Federal Board of Revenue announced on Friday.

The FBR issued a notification allowing import of such cars for personal use of disabled persons to overcome their disability, subject to fulfilment of criteria and conditions laid down in the policy.

The notification said that at the time of import of car the disabled person must have import authorisation certificate from the commerce ministry. Under the scheme only one car would be allowed to be imported by a disabled person and it would not be sold or transferred to any person before the expiry of five years from the date of its arrival in Pakistan.

The criteria of eligibility laid down under the Import Order allows a Pakistani national suffering from physical disability (excluding mental retardation and old-age disability) to apply to the board for import a new car of the said capacity.

Cars imported under the scheme would be for personal use of the disabled person and would not be used for commercial purposes and only a brand new car would be imported under the scheme.

The car would bear a special registration number and special colour plates mentioning “Disabled Person Car” provided by the provincial excise and taxation department.