RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has demanded of the government to reconsider the ban on import of luxury items. In a statement, RCCI President Nadeem Rauf said: “The government has taken a hasty decision without consulting stakeholders.”

“Due to the same Harmonized System (HS) code the essential items are also subject to the same restriction. The import of vitamins and medicines used in livestock, especially poultry feed, has been banned, which will further increase the price of meat and poultry,” he said.

He said a meeting of traders from the affected sectors has been convened in the chamber this week so that suggestions and solutions can be presented to the government.

He said imports of air conditions and chillers and related items had been banned, though they were no longer luxury items as were needed in hospitals, colleges, universities, business centers and homes.

“Bakery products, eyeglasses, leather used in shoes, automobiles, lighting and many other items that do not come in luxury but have been banned due to the similar code or chapter,” he said.

He said that the government should also be aware of the ground realities.

There are many items that are not manufactured here.

Published in Dawn,May 24th, 2022