LAHORE: The Chairman of the National Tariff Commission (NTC), Dr. Jawwad Uwais Agha, has warned that strict action will be taken against dumping and unfair international competition, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to protecting Pakistan’s domestic industry. Speaking at a high-level meeting hosted by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Agha said the NTC is fully accessible to the business community and that every case will be reviewed personally and resolved swiftly on merit. He added that under the Prime Minister’s vision, the Commission has shifted from formal correspondence to direct engagement, enabling faster relief for affected industries through anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures. LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol welcomed the initiative, calling the National Tariff Policy a potential game changer for Pakistan’s industrial sector. However, he cautioned that ambiguities between raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products are distorting the tariff structure and must be urgently addressed. He proposed a sector-wise duty framework with zero tariffs on locally unavailable raw materials to reduce production costs and strengthen industrial competitiveness. Dr. Agha also announced that the NTC is being rapidly digitalized to accelerate case processing, with dedicated training programs planned for industrialists, particularly those in the SME and cottage industry sectors. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026



