The Central Board Revenue (CBR) has become a stumbling block in the government’s efforts to provide cheap cement to the consumers as customs authorities have created misconception about the quality of imported cement by stopping consignments at the port, a senior government official told this reporter on Thursday.

The Pakistan ministry of industries, production and special initiatives has taken up the issue with the CBR and has inquired how customs authorities at the Karachi Port has blocked the consignment at the port and raised “unnecessary” objections with regard to the cement quality, the official said.

The ministry, according to the official, has criticized customs authorities for the unnecessary action that will deprive consumers of getting cement at lower rates.

“The stoppage of consignments has placed a big question mark on the quality of the Chinese Cheetah brand cement,” he said. The official said the ministry of industries has already issued a clarification that the quality of imported cement is in accordance with the UK and Pakistani standards.

At the same time, the official said, the action taken by customs authorities has damaged the government’s efforts to provide cheap cement to consumers. Doubts about quality of the cement has shattered the confidence of consumers. Big construction companies may not use the imported cement for it has wrongly been describes as substandard, the official said.