Islamabad – Wazir-e-Azam Shehbaz Sharif ne aanay wale budget 2025 ke liye aik aham economic policy approve kar li hai jisme Rs120 billion tak ki import duties mein kamee ka faisla kiya gaya hai. Yeh qadam mulk ke economic openness aur foreign competition ko barhawa dene ke liye uthaya gaya hai, magar is se balance of payments aur manufacturing sector par pressure barhne ka khauf bhi zahir kiya gaya hai.
Sources ke mutabiq, PM Shehbaz ne Ministry of Commerce aur Ministry of Industries ki reservations ko mustarad karte hue import tax cut plan ko green signal de diya hai. Yeh wohi ministries hain jo steep duty reductions ke negative asraat par concern jata rahi thin.
Is policy ke peechay Finance Ministry aur Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ka bhi pura support hai – wohi institutions jo pehle revenue barhane ke liye tariffs mein izafa karti rahi hain. Pehla phase is plan ka aanay wale budget mein shamil kiya jaayega aur yeh pura plan paanch saalon mein mukammal kiya jaayega.
Customs Duty Slabs Mein Tabdeeli
Naye plan ke mutabiq customs duty slabs ko kam karke chaar kar diya gaya hai:
- 0%
- 5%
- 10%
- 15% (maximum slab)
Halanke is waqt 5 slabs ka nizaam hai, jise reduce karke 4 slabs par laaya jaa raha hai. Yeh slabs gradually implement kiye jaayenge, aur 20% ka existing maximum slab phase-out ho jaayega.
Commerce Ministry ne slabs ko barhakar 6 karne ka tajwez diya tha – 0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, 20% – magar PM ne yeh suggestion reject kar di.
Additional Duties Aur Regulatory Duties Mein Bhi Kamee
Plan ke mutabiq:
- Additional Customs Duties (ACD) agle 4 saalon mein khatam ki jaayengi
- Regulatory Duties (RD) agle 5 saalon mein khatam ki jaayengi
- Customs Act ka Fifth Schedule bhi 5 saalon mein abol kiya jaayega
Is reduction ka total revenue impact Rs512 billion tak ho sakta hai – jisme se Rs120 billion ka nuqsan sirf pehle saal mein hoga.
Sector-wise Impact
- Automobile sector ke duties mein kisi qisam ki tabdeeli nahi ki jaayegi.
- 3% slab mein mojood 972 items ko ya to 0% ya 5% par shift kiya jaayega.
- 11% slab ko 10% par reduce karne ka plan hai.
- 16% slab ko 15% kiya jaayega.
- 20% slab ko gradual phase-out kiya jaayega.
Finance Ministry ka kehna hai ke har 1% duty reduction se trade deficit mein 1.7% ka izafa ho sakta hai. Lekin unka yeh bhi kehna hai ke yeh loss domestic tax collection se recover kiya jaayega.
Productivity aur Export Promotion
PM Office ka yeh stance hai ke high import tariffs productivity ko neecha kar rahi hain aur local industries ko export karne se rokti hain. Tariff reduction ka maqsad intermediate goods aur capital equipment ki cost ko kam karna hai taake exports mein izafa ho.
Waisay kuch government officials ne yeh bhi kaha hai ke input costs (energy, labour) zyada hone ki wajah se manufacturing cost par ziada faraq nahi padega.
IMF aur External Concerns
Plan kaafi aggressive hai – hatta ke IMF ke sath agreed tariff structure se bhi zyada steep. Rs512 billion ke loss mein se Rs300 billion ka burden IMF ke ongoing program ke dauran aayega. Is wajah se kuch stakeholders ne ehtiyaat baratne ka mashwara bhi diya hai.
Magar hukumat ka kehna hai ke export-led growth strategy ke liye yeh qadam zaroori hai.
