ISLAMABAD (January 20 2006): The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) will charge minimum 5 percent customs duty on the import of recording equipment, cameras and other related machinery/apparatus used by the film industry. The CBR has issued SRO(I)2006 here on Thursday to levy concessionary rate of duty on the import of such equipment.
The duty rate has been brought down substantially from 10-25 percent to minimum 5 percent, facilitating the film industry a great deal. The issuance of Pakistan Customs Tariff Headings (PCT) would also facilitate clearance of film industry-related machines at ports.
FOLLOWING ARE THE PCT HEADINGS AND NAMES OF THE EQUIPMENT ON WHICH DUTY HAS BEEN SLASHED TO 5 PERCENT: PCT heading 7326.9090 Camera Stands; 8716.8000 Camera Trolley; 8716.8000 Camera Dolly; 8521.9090 Sound Recorder (channel mixer and cables, record, play and erase heads); 8523.1100 Magnetic Tapes; 8518.1090 Mikes (Newman, Akg) microphones; 8528.3090 Projector 35mm with Xenon lamps; 8539.2990 Photographic and HMI bulbs; 8520.9090 AVID editing; 6704.1100 Wigs etc; 8520.9090 Fully Dolby-stereo system; 8518.2100 Cinema speaker and sound system; 8521.9090 Sub-titling machines; 8528.3090 film projectors 35mm with sound heads and sound readers; 8539.4100 Xenon arc lamps with rectifiers-power ratings; 8539.2990 Xenon bulbs 2000 watts to 4000 watts; 8518.5000 Power amplifiers of different power ratings; 8518.2100 Loud speakers low frequency and sub-woofers; 8518.2100 High frequency driver units, used in conjunction low frequency speakers; 8520.9090 analogue audio processors; 8520.9090 Digital audio processors for DTS, with CD room drivers; 8520.9090 Digital audio processor and PCT heading 8545.1900 Cinema Arc carbons.
The CBR has also imposed some conditions for the import of these items. First, the import of these items at reduced import duty rate of 5 percent would be available, if imported by a member of Pakistan Film Producers Association (PFPA) for exclusive use in the production or display of film subject to the conditions. Secondly, importers would be required to furnish an undertaking that goods imported shall not be sold or disposed of for a period of five years from the date of importation. Thirdly, importers would also be required to furnish an undertaking duly certified by the chairman, Pakistan Film Producers Association for the purpose of bona fide use of such goods, exclusively by the importing member of the PFPA.
