The Home and Tribal Affairs Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has pleaded to the Ministry of Commerce for including Potassium Chlorate in the import policy order, 2022 and to make it import subject to NOC from the Department of Explosives and Home Departments. The provincial government in a letter dispatched to the Federal Ministry informed that Potassium chlorate was not locally manufactured in Pakistan and was being imported from China, India and the USA without any Customs duty.

It said that the chemical was being used in firecrackers, matchsticks and fireworks, adding that there was no regulatory mechanism to check the quality of Potassium chlorate and the provincial government had decided to amend the Arms Rules and include permission for import of the chemical. The Home Department therefore requested the Federal Ministry to include the Potassium Chlorate in the Import Policy Order 2022 to regulate its import and avoid risks attached to it.

It further said that the provincial government had already directed the district governments to conduct crackdowns against illegal fireworks vendors and check the stock of the suppliers, vendor details, stock registers and listing of the vendors. The Deputy Commissioners had also been asked to keep the vendors under strong vigilance.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)