LAHORE – Invoking original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, a constitutional petition has been filed to question the regulatory duty on 379 ‘non-essential/luxury items’ from 15 percent to 50 percent imposed through an SRO in August 2008.

The petition has been filed by M/s Khawar Paper Mart and four others dealing in the paper board and other paper products.

The petitioners contended that in addition to the said 379 items, the government in February 2009 included further 18 items in the list for charging regulatory duty on them at the rate of 15 per cent. The petitioners said the duty in question has upped the market price of the paper board and other products to such a high extent that general public is tremendously feeling its effect. They have specifically questioned imposition of the regulatory duty on the paperboard which is not a luxury item and generally on other items raising the question whether the same could be made by the government after promulgation of the Anti-Dumping Ordinance 2000. They have put forth various the propositions for the consideration of the court and said that the imposition of the regulatory duty on the goods under question is discriminatory and based on favouritism just to benefit a group/business concern. That the Duty has caused to destroy the healthy competition of goods in the local market with reference to the prices of commodities in the international market.