The federal Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has finally decided to permit the import of three-year old used buses. The draft notification has been prepared, but it has been sent to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for technical reasons, which may take another two or three days to be finalised.
The official draft of the notification made available to Pakistan Today, indicates that the ministry has allowed the import of buses not older than three years, with a seating capacity of forty and subjected to the condition that such buses shall be certified by a pre-shipment inspection company. The ministry has also underlined that such buses should have minimum road worthiness of at least five years from the date of import.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, All Pakistan Transport Owners Federation (APTOF) Chairman Azam Khan Niazi strongly criticised the import of three-year old buses. He pointed out that the government had allowed the import of five-year old passenger cars which are being used by the privileged class. But by making such policies the government was denying basic transport facilities to the common man, he underlined.
He asked the federal government to allow second hand buses which are up to 15 years old as on average a bus has road worthiness of twenty years. He was of the view that used, imported buses were superior to domestically manufactured buses and their import would positively impact on the overstrained transport sector. It would help transporters in developing the public transport infrastructure in the country, he claimed.
However, Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) has a different viewpoint on the import of used vehicles. A PAAPAM member said that the engineering sector, especially automobile industry, had developed in the country over an extended period, but such policies were hurdles in the way of its growth.
He underlined that the federal government wanted to reduce tariff rates to fulfill its commitment with the International Monetary Fund and other international agencies. But it should consider the needs of domestic industry while rationalising the tariffs, he concluded.
