ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Pakistan on Friday imposed provisional anti-dumping duty on import of Chinese polyester staple fibre (PSF) ranging from zero per cent to 10.44 per cent of the CIF value in a bid to provide protection to domestic manufacturers.

The duty would be applicable on PSF into Pakistan originating in and exported from China for a period of six months before coming up with final dumping duties for five years.

PSF is used in woven and knit applications to produce textile and apparel products.

The National Tariff Commission (NTC) initiated an investigation into the case on July 29, 2008, in response to an anti-dumping application filed by Dewan Salman Fibres, Ibrahim Fibres and ICI Pakistan on behalf of domestic industry which identified 54 exporters from China involved in dumping of PSF. The NTC sent questionnaires to exporters, and only two exporters/producers responded to the commission’s questionnaire.

The NTC after due process made a preliminary determination and found that dumped imports from China existed which caused injury to domestic industry.

An official announcement issued here said after this preliminary determination, the NTC affords an opportunity to interested parties (which ordinarily include exporters, importers and the domestic industry) to present their views in a hearing should any of the interested parties seek to do so. Interested parties can also submit briefs containing their views on a particular issue or issues to the NTC up to 30 days before the date of final determination.

The ordinance provides for an appeal process. If any of the interested parties is not satisfied with the commission’s final determination and decision of imposition of definitive antidumping duty, it may approach the Appellate Tribunal.

Alternatively, or simultaneously any affected exporting government may, in case of positive final determination, approach the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in Geneva and lodge a complaint against the importing country’s decisions. The DSB may then set up a panel to adjudicate.

This is the 25th investigation conducted under the Pakistan’s Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance, 2000, where the commission has imposed provisional anti-dumping duty.

The previous cases involved exporters of various products from South Africa, Indonesia, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Thailand and China.