ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce on Friday notified a ban on the import of 38 non-essential luxury items under an “emergency economic plan”.
According to a notification issued here, the ban will apply to 38 luxury items with immediate effect.
The notification comes after Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb unveiled the emergency economic plan and banned the imports of dozens of non-essential luxury items.
Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a press conference in Islamabad to announce the economic plan of the PML-N government to cope with the financial challenges.
She blamed former prime minister Imran Khan accepted the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which increased the inflation, whereas, the debts reached up to Rs47,000 billion from Rs27,000 billion.
List of banned items
- Automobiles
- Mobile phones
- Home appliances
- Fruits and dry fruits (except from Afghanistan)
- Crockery
- Private weapons and ammunition
- Shoes
- Chandeliers and lighting (except energy savers)
- Headphones and loudspeakers
- Sauces
- Doors and window frames
- Travelling bags and suitcases
- Sanitary ware
- Fish and frozen fish
- Carpets (except from Afghanistan)
- Preserved fruits
- Tissue paper
- Furniture
- Shampoos
- Confectionary
- Luxury mattresses and sleeping bags
- Jams and jelly
- Cornflakes
- Toiletries
- Heaters, blowers
- Sunglasses
- Kitchen ware
- Aerated water
- Frozen meat
- Juices
- Pasta
- Ice cream
- Cigarettes
- Shaving goods
- Luxury leather apparel
- Musical instruments
- Salon items like hair dryers etc
- Chocolates
Regarding the import ban, the minister said that the prices of those items will be increased whose LCs [letters of credit] have been opened. The concerned institutions including the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will monitor and take action over violations, she added.
‘Import ban to save foreign exchange’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a Twitter message, “My decision to ban import of luxury items will save the country precious foreign exchange. We will practice austerity & financially stronger people must lead in this effort so that the less privileged among us do not have to bear this burden inflicted on them by the PTI govt.”
He added, “Together we will overcome all the challenges with resolve and determination, InshaAllah!”
