The government is mulling over a suggestion to allow the overseas Pakistanis to import one hybrid car. The expatriates, remitting 100,000 dollars within a period of the last two years will be able to import one hybrid car to Pakistan.
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis has prepared a memorandum in this regard on 14th November for granting permission to import one duty-free hybrid vehicle up to 3000 CC to those Foreign Exchange Remittance Cardholders overseas Pakistanis.
In recognition of our #OverseasPakistanis who use banking channels to send money back home,my ministry has proposed to reward them for their contribution to the national exchequer. I will be backing this initiative with full force so in time we can kill the menace of hundi/havala pic.twitter.com/zSlk6AajvO
— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) November 26, 2019
The memorandum has a stringent binding principle that only overseas Pakistani using legal banking channels qualify for the provision.
The memorandum has been designed by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. The ministry has sent the proposal to the Ministry of Industries & Production and Engineering Development Board for approval to allow Foreign Exchange Remittance Cardholders the ease of importing hybrid cars.
The idea has been pitched to encourage higher remittances to Pakistan, which is facing the problem of low foreign reserves. And also to motivate expatriates to use legal banking channels for remittances.
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It is, however, not clear how much time it will take to implement the proposal but the Overseas Ministry is keen to implement the decision as soon as possible.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan for Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development, Sayed Zulfi Bukhari posted the picture of the notification on his Twitter account, which read that the privilege is offered in recognition of the services of the overseas Pakistanis to the country’s national exchequer.
He claimed that he presented the proposal and is making arrangements for its swift implementation.
https://twitter.com/NaveedRazzaqPTI/status/1199678044090318848
Currently, the overseas Pakistani in UAE have the provision to import a saloon car of up to three years old and an SUV up to five years old with heavy custom duties- ranging from 60% to more than 100% of the price of the car they import.
Iqbal Dawood, the President of Pakistani Business Council in UAE has appreciated the move asserted that “It will be very beneficial for residents if the Pakistani government allows duty-free import of hybrid vehicles,” he said.
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He, however, added that the import of vehicles to Pakistan from Pakistan expatriates in UAE has halted for a year since officials in the Pakistani offices harasses people regarding their source of income.
People have asked the government to introduce similar provisions for Pakistani expatriates sending a small amount of money to Pakistan.