Pakistan's steel industry has called on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take immediate action to address the influx of duty-free imports of Chinese steel entering the country through the Sost customs dry port, warning that these imports are undermining domestic producers and distorting market competition, according to media reports.
It is noted that significant volumes of Chinese steel are being cleared through customs at the border transition Sost without upfront tax payments, allowing imported material to enter the domestic market at prices that local factories cannot match.
Pakistan steelworkers have called on the FBR to demand advance tax payments, payment orders or bank guarantees at the customs clearance point at Sost, ensuring that government revenues are protected and that imported material does not enter the market at unfairly low prices. Steelmakers also called on the government to consider protective or trade adjustment measures if import volumes continue to rise, noting that prolonged pressure from cheap imports could lead to further production cuts, layoffs or plant closures across the domestic steel sector. weakening of Pakistan's steel industry and declining budget revenues
