ISLAMABAD, April 8: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) will hold a public hearing on the relevant industry’s request for total exemption of semi-finished malleable pipe fittings from customs duty by way of protection from those imported from abroad, according to an official source.

In their petition to the NTC, M/s Ramna Fittings & Pipe Industries (Pvt) Limited has contended that at present the rate of customs duty on the imported finished malleable galvanised pipe fittings as well as unfinished and semi-finished pipe fittings is the same — that is, 15 per cent customs duty and 15 per cent sales tax.

As there has been manifold increase in the costs of local manufacture resulting in spiralling charges of electricity, machinery, maintenance, fuel, transportation etc., it has become difficult for the local industry to compete with the foreign manufacturers and to survive, it was stated.

The NTC has scheduled a public hearing on the matter for April 18 at 11 am to be held in the conference room of the Commission’s office in Islamabad to facilitate investigation.