KARACHI: Pakistan government has lifted ban on the import of a large range of used and second-hand machinery through an amendment in the Import Policy Order 2016, which might turn the country into a junkyard of obsolete equipment.
Ministry of Commerce & Textile vide SRO 1528(I)/2018 omitted an entry in Appendix-C of the Import Policy Order, thereby opening import of used and second-hand machinery, which earlier was prohibited to be imported.
Appendix-C of the Import Policy Order provides the list of items not importable in used and second-hand condition. The amendment allows import of used machinery falling under Chapter 85 of Pakistan Customs Tariff (PCT).
The machinery that has been allowed to be imported in used condition includes electrical transformers, static converters (for example, rectifiers) and inductors; electro-magnets, permanent magnets and articles intended to become permanent magnets after magnetization.
Most of the countries of the world have banned import of used machinery for being hazardous for the environment, inefficient and involving risks that cannot be identified.
Other machines that can now be imported in used condition include primary cells and primary batteries; acid batteries; electric accumulators; electro- mechanical domestic appliances, with self-contained electric motor; electrical ignition, internal combustion engines, generators; electrical lighting or signalling equipment; and auto parts.
Analysts believe Pakistan is going to become a toxic dumping ground of global hazmat waste posing a serious health and environmental threat.
The said amendment in the Import Policy also allows the import of used and second-hand Portable electric lamps designed to function by their own source of energy (for example, dry batteries, accumulators, magnetos); industrial or laboratory electric furnaces and ovens; electric (including electrically heated gas), laser or other light or photon beam, ultrasonic, electron beam, magnetic pulse or plasma arc soldering, brazing or welding machines and apparatus; electric heaters; cellular network apparatus; sound/video recording or reproducing apparatus; transmission apparatus for radio- broadcasting or television; radar and reception apparatus; electronic integrated circuits along with a long range of machines, parts and electronic/electric apparatus and equipment.