ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed a comprehensive reorganization of the National Tariff Commission’s (NTC) legal, administrative, and institutional framework, aiming to strengthen its effectiveness and better align it with modern trade challenges.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the NTC's performance, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for urgent reforms to enhance the commission’s ability to support domestic industries and counter unfair trade practices. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Shehbaz Sharif also ordered a third-party review of the NTC’s recent performance to identify areas of improvement.
“The NTC’s automated and efficient research capacity can play a key role in resolving the challenges faced by domestic businesses,” the PMO quoted the prime minister as saying. He also expressed the government’s commitment to addressing gaps in training and resources within the commission.
PM Shehbaz further directed that the long-dormant Appellate Tribunal of the NTC be made functional without delay to ensure swift redressal of industry complaints and appeals.
The directive comes at a time when the NTC has shown renewed momentum in tackling unfair trade. Just last week, the commission concluded its first anti-circumvention investigation, successfully extending anti-dumping duties to modified imports designed to bypass existing tariffs on galvanized steel products.
Over the past 25 years, the NTC has conducted 150 investigations related to dumped imports, imposing anti-dumping duties in 114 of those cases and generating an estimated Rs40 billion in revenue. These duties have played a critical role in shielding local industries from injurious foreign pricing strategies.
The prime minister's orders aim to empower the NTC to respond more swiftly and effectively in today’s complex global trade environment, while promoting transparency, efficiency, and support for Pakistani manufacturers.
