The government has abolished the Personal Baggage Scheme for the import of used vehicles, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan told the National Assembly on Wednesday, as authorities move to curb the commercial misuse of schemes meant for overseas Pakistanis.
Responding to questions during Question Hour, the minister said the decision had been approved by the Economic Coordination Committee and the federal cabinet.
The Gift and Transfer of Residence schemes have been retained but subjected to stricter conditions.
Under the revised policy, vehicles imported through these schemes must meet the minimum safety, environmental and regulatory standards applicable to commercial imports of used vehicles.
The interval between imports has also been increased from two years to three years, while imported vehicles will remain non-transferable for one year.
The minimum stay-abroad requirement has been raised to three years, with at least 850 cumulative days of stay. The requirement that vehicles be imported from the same country where the sender resides will apply only to the Transfer of Residence Scheme.
The Commerce Ministry said the changes were introduced after consultations with stakeholders and aimed at ensuring that the schemes benefit genuine overseas Pakistanis rather than commercial importers.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said there was no provision for duty- and tax-free vehicle imports anywhere in Pakistan.
