Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the regulatory duty on certain flat steel imports until March 31, 2025, to support the local steel industry. The decision follows recommendations from the Tariff Policy Board (TPB) to maintain protection for domestic manufacturers.
Under the extension, the 10pct regulatory duty on flat steel products, originally imposed under the Finance Act 2024, will remain in place until March 31, 2025. From April 1, 2025, this duty will be reduced to 5pct. The duty was initially set to expire on December 31, 2024.
According to the notification, a 5pct regulatory duty will continue to apply to imports of:
Cold-rolled steel with a thickness below 0.5mm and up to 100mm wide.
Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products less than 600mm in width that are clad, plated, or coated.
Meanwhile, a 10pct regulatory duty remains in effect for:
Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products 600mm or more in width that are cold-rolled but not clad, plated, or coated.
These duties were initially introduced as temporary protective measures under the Finance Act 2024, with an expiry date of December 31, 2024. However, industry stakeholders urged the government to extend the tariff protection, citing concerns over competition from imported steel.
The TPB has confirmed that from April 1, 2025, regulatory duties will return to their original levels of 0pct and 5pct, marking the end of the temporary measure.
