ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: The commerce ministry has notified a range of import facilitation measures announced in the trade policy 2007-08. The amendments were made through a notification SRO822 of 2007 by amending the import policy order 2006 issued here on Thursday.

Through the notification, the job-lot — a collection of odds and ends for sale as one lot — has been further clarified. Another concept of stock lot — the goods of this description are different from goods of job lot in the sense that these are not different in sizes, specifications or colour etc.

These are the goods, which are kept in stock unsold because of change in tastes, market conditions or slight depreciation in quality because of age etc.

The construction companies, duly registered with Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), mining, oil and gas and petroleum sector companies shall be allowed to import second hand plant, machinery and equipment, actually required for their projects in Pakistan, including those as specified at Appendix-I.

It was notified that commercial importers shall also be allowed to import machinery/equipment/specialised machinery, including those as specified at Appendix-I, but excluding dumper trucks and mobile transit mixers, on behalf of construction companies which are duly registered with PEC, mining, gas and petroleum sector companies.

The imports shall, however, be subject to pre-shipment inspection by one of the prescribed pre-shipment inspection companies listed at Appendix-H to the effect that the plant, machinery and equipment are in good working condition and they are not older than 10 years.Pakistan based associations and individual companies shall also be allowed to import exhibition materials for fairs and exhibitions except those mentioned in Appendix-A, B and C subject to endorsement by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). Mountaineering expeditions shall be allowed to import their equipment and materials on import-cum-export basis. In case, the equipment and material are not re-exported, they may donate such equipment and material to local mountaineering clubs and produce a certificate to the customs from a mountaineering club to the effect that the equipment and material imported on import-cum-export basis has been donated to that club.

Import and export of goods for transit under the agreement for traffic in transit among the governments of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan and Pakistan shall be subject to all prohibitions and restrictions notified vide the Import Policy Order, 2006.

While imports coming from countries with whom no Preferential Trade Agreement has been signed shall be in accordance with rules of origin to be notified by the federal government.

It was notified that import of ozone depleting substances specified at Appendix-F, shall be subject to the policy/quota allocation to be laid down by the ministry of environment from time to time.

Import and export of goods for transit under the Agreement for Traffic in Transit among China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan and Pakistan shall be subject to all prohibitions and restrictions notified anywhere in the Import Policy Order.

Formaldehyde import shall be allowed only to industrial consumers who have valid licence issued by the environmental agency/department concerned under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1979.

Raw materials for bullet-proof jackets are importable only on the recommendation of Ministry of Interior. The import of prime-movers 380 HP and above not more than four years old which are EURO-III compliant are allowed subject to the following conditions:

Import permission shall initially be for one year i.e. 2007-08; import shall be allowed only from reputed OEMs; only registered transport companies and established fleet operators operating at least 25 prime-movers in their name shall be eligible to import such prime movers; each import order shall include not less than 10 prime-movers and the importers shall not be allowed to sell or transfer such prime movers to any other person or a company within five years of import.

Charitable Institutions and Hospitals shall be eligible to import motorised wheel chairs for disabled persons whether new or used in the form of donations and gifts.

If the importer brings stolen vehicle, chassis tampered vehicles or having fake and forged documents under the three schemes for overseas Pakistanis, he shall in addition to the confiscation of the vehicle, be liable to such other penalty as may be imposed under any other law for the time being in force. Re-export facility shall also not be available for such vehicles.