ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: The government has allowed manufacturers of footwear to import samples of raw material, products and articles without payment of customs duty. The decision was announced in a customs notification (SRO16) of 2008 issued here on Saturday. This facility of duty-free import of samples was earlier available to manufacturer-cum-exporters only.

Under the notification, footwear manufacturers have been allowed duty-free import of samples of an individual value not exceeding $100.

This measure would go a long way in helping the industry import samples and use them in research and development work.