source vcccp club
First, we have SRO 833(I) of 2018:
https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/SROs/2018731673616570SRO833(I)2018.pdf
This SRO officially allows the import of cars with a build date prior to 1st Jan, 1968. A fixed duty of $5000 is payable on import irrespective of value of the car or its engine size. Shipping a car from the USA in a 20ft container at the minimum will cost you about $3000-3500. In all likelihood, you will need to file a Petition before the Sindh High Court to get the car released through a court order so you need to take into account the costs for that. If you leave it in the container during the pendency of the Petition, there will be container detention charges @ $55 per day. The container will be stored in a container yard and there will be charges for that approx @ Rs.2500 per day. There will be misc. charges for handling and charges/fees from your clearing agent, hence, expect to pay around Rs.2-2.5 million over and above the cost of your vehicle. Alternatively, you can chose to remove the car(s) from the containers which will save you alot of money in container detention/storage charges. There is a motor shed in the port where these cars can be safely stored during the hearing of the Petition.
The reason for filing the Petition is that the general import policy states that cars older than 5 years old cannot be imported. On the other hand the Vintage/Classic Car notification states that cars which were built prior to 1st Jan 1968 can be imported. When a vintage car is imported and GD (Goods Declaration) is filed, the customs dept will say that the above two are in conflict and therefore they cannot process the GD for classic cars as they will follow the import policy. The Court has ruled that when the SRO has been publicly issued then it is irrelevant what the import policy says, so customs is bound to clear the car, hence why a Petition has to be filed. The present and only solution to all of this is the amendment of the import policy to include the exception for classic cars and until that is done, if anybody wishes to import a classic car, it will be necessary to file a Petition before the Sindh High Court for the car to be released.
I am giving a brief synopsis of the procedure how this is done:
You purchase a car from the USA, Europe, anywhere you find the car of your choice but no later than a 1967 model.
You have the car(s) shipped in a container to Karachi under your own personal name and get your BOL (Bill of Lading) from the shipper.
Once you have your BOL you contact a clearing agent. Sea King Shipping Agency specialise in the clearance of such cars.
Once your car(s) arrive in Karachi, you through your clearing agent apply for the GD (Goods Declaration) to be filed. Customs will either allow the GD to be filed or decline to file it for reasons mentioned above.
You hire a lawyer. My office handles these cases. Your lawyer will file a Petition before the SHC who will order the GD to be processed manually and in the event the customs have already agreed to process the GD then the SHC will order to the customs duty is to be paid and the car(s) to be released and seek compliance by the next date of hearing.
On the next date of the hearing, once the GD has been filed the SHC will dispose off the Petition via its final order that the duty is to be deposited and car(s) released to the Petitioner.
Customs will receive the final court order and process the clearance of the car(s). The duty amount of USD $5000 will be payable via pay order in PKR. All other charges and clearing agent fees will be payable as and when advised by the clearing agent.
Additional taxes/charges will be payable at the time of registration of the car(s) and engine size and capacity will determine the amount of taxes/charges to be paid at the time of registration, not before.
