SHC Eliminates Regulatory Duty on Import of Cars

Sindh High Court has annulled the SRO 1035 and now the prices of the imported cars will come down. Now the customers will get the relief in prices of the imported cars after the cancellation of the SRO. The government has issued this SRO in October 2017 and they have increased the regulatory duty on the import of the cars and over 731 items. The prices of various other items like cars were decreased now.

The Case

The leading automobile companies like Porsche, BMW Pakistan and Audi Pakistan filed the case in the Lahore and Sindh High Courts against the implementation of this SRO and they requested the honorable courts to remove the regulatory duty from the import of the cars and 730 other items in Pakistan. SHC declared the implementation of SRO null and void and no one can ask for increase in the regulatory duty on the basis of SRO 1035. People, who have already paid extra regulatory duty on this SRO, they will get the refund and the government has one month time to appeal against the decision of the court.

Decision

The SHC gave the verdict that the SRO issuing body did not have the full authority to make this decision and they issued this SRO, which resulted into the increase in the prices of the imported cars. The SRO shows that the regulatory duty on the import was increased by 60% to 80% in October 2017 and the price of Audi Q5 was increased from Rs.16.5 million to Rs.19.5 million. The prices of some other items were also increased.

After the decision of SHC, the prices of the imported cars will come down and the prices of other cars and items will not stand at that level before this SRO was released. it is also expected that the decision of Lahore High Court will also similar and the hearing of the case in LHC is set to be announced on 24th February.