The government of Pakistan is to challenge South Africa’s recent decision to impose duties on imported cement from the country.

 “We are analysing the detailed report of International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) to determine our course of action,” an official of the Pakistan National Tariff Commission (NTC) told Dawn media (Pakistan) on Friday.

Last month, ITAC imposed provisional anti-dumping duties ranging from 14.29 per cent to 77.15 per cent on Portland cement originating in or imported from Pakistan. The move follows an investigation after a number of local cement producing companies submitted an application on behalf of the SACU industry. The levies are effective as of 15 May 2015 and will run for a period of six months, after which ITAC will submit recommendations to impose permanent duties.

The Pakistan official said that the first step in contesting the levies will be to hold bilateral consultations with the South African government to resolve the anti-dumping duties 'favourably', according to the Dawn report. Should an agreement failed to be reached, the Pakistan’s government has the option to take the issue to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the official added.

The NTC is awaiting response from Pakistani exporters. “We have asked them to share with us the questionnaires which they have filled in and submitted to the ITAC,” the official said.