Zardari clears anti-dumping bill on Chinese projects

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025 that is aimed at providing legal clarity regarding the imposition of such duties on the projects funded by Chinese grants, according to a statement issued by the President Secretariat Press Wing.

The bill was sent to the President after being adopted by the National Assembly and Senate. After the presidential approval, the statement said, the duties would be effective July 1, 2020. The decision for this amendment was taken during a progress review meeting of the Gwadar projects in October 2022.

Anti-dumping duties are special tariffs on imports sold below fair value, aimed at restoring fair competition and protecting the domestic industry from injury. The Commerce Ministry had moved the amendment in 2024, and later passed by parliament.

The change addresses duties charged during fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22 on imports for the Pak-China Friendship Hospital and New Gwadar International Airport, both funded through Chinese grants. The new act specifies that the exemptions introduced in 2022 will apply from July 1, 2020.

Separately, President Zardari gave his approval to the National Institute of Health (Reorganization) Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed by the National Assembly on August 12, 2025, along with five private members' bills.

"Through this bill, the structure and governance of the National Institute of Health will be made more effective. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure the reorganization of the institution and enhance its performance," the President Secretariat Press Wing, said in a separate press release on Sunday.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)