ISLAMABAD: Turkiye’s embassy has formally objected to an ongoing anti-dumping investigation targeting imports of disodium carbonate, commonly known as soda ash, in a letter sent to Pakistan’s National Tariff Commission (NTC) this week.
The letter, addressed to NTC Chairman Abdul Rashid Sheikh, expresses concern over the investigation initiated in July 2025 following complaints from two domestic chemical manufacturers, which dominate local soda ash production in Pakistan.
The National Tariff Commission launched its probe into alleged dumped imports from Turkiye and Kenya after receiving petitions from local producers.
As part of standard procedure, the commission sent questionnaires to Turkish manufacturers, and conducted on-site verification visits of production facilities in Turkiye in December 2025.
The Turkish government submitted its official position in early October 2025, presenting arguments against the allegations made by Pakistani petitioners and citing provisions of the international Anti-Dumping Agreement under global trade rules.
The Pakistan Glass Manufacturers Association has also filed submissions with the commission, raising objections to the proposed measures.
The diplomatic correspondence emphasizes the broader context of Turkish-Pakistani trade relations, noting that current trade volumes fall short of potential given the positive diplomatic ties between the two nations. Both governments are actively working to expand their preferential trade agreement, with initial negotiations scheduled to begin in Islamabad this month.
Turkish officials expressed particular concern that unwarranted anti-dumping duties could undermine the shared goal of achieving $5 billion dollars in bilateral trade, a target set by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo an and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Any groundless anti-dumping measure without sufficient justification will have detrimental effects” on trade objectives, the letter stated, while expressing confidence that the commission would conduct a fair evaluation based on all submitted documentation and evidence gathered during facility inspections.
Turkiye’s Commercial Counsellor Enes Malik Çetin signed the formal diplomatic note, which stated that “Turkiye expresses its sincere regrets regarding the initiation of this anti-dumping investigation.”
The National Tariff Commission is expected to review the official submissions from the Turkish government, responses from manufacturers, and input from domestic industry stakeholders before reaching a final determination on whether to impose anti-dumping duties on the imports in question.
