Shipping from China to Multan
China โ Multan ยท via LHE air / Karachi sea ยท clearance by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue)
Freight from China into Multan clears through LHE air / Karachi sea. Multan is southern Punjab agricultural trade hub, and allow +2 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.
On the destination side, Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) handles clearance; budget 5โ12 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
Import duty and tax position for Multan
Imports into Pakistan are cleared by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue). The headline position is: Sales tax 18%; customs duty 3โ20% plus additional customs duty and regulatory duty on many consumer lines; withholding income tax on imports. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: PSQCA standards mark for regulated goods; import against a bank contract or letter of credit for most commercial cargo. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Pakistan: Import payment normally has to route through a bank contract or LC, which constrains DDP structures. Regulatory duty and additional customs duty are revised frequently. Used goods and many consumer categories face import bans or heavy surcharges.
What the routing looks like in practice
Karachi handles the overwhelming majority of Pakistan's sea volume, with Port Qasim as the second option. The ChinaโPakistan FTA phase II gives meaningful duty relief on a long list of tariff lines, but only against a properly issued certificate of origin. Regulatory duty on consumer goods changes with each federal budget, so verify the current rate rather than reusing last year's landed-cost model.
| Air gateways used | KHI (Karachi), LHE (Lahore), ISB (Islamabad) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Karachi (KICT/QICT), Port Qasim, Gwadar |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 14โ22 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Multan | LHE air / Karachi sea |
| Inland leg to Multan | +2 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5โ12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Confirm the consignee in Multan can act as importer of record โ Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during SepโNov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Budget for the inland leg: +2 days beyond gateway clearance to reach Multan.
Air, sea or overland into Multan?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 3โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 14โ22 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Pakistan gateway and excludes the +2 days inland leg to Multan and 5โ12 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Multan
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Multan take?
China to the Pakistan gateway is 3โ6 business days by air, 14โ22 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 5โ12 days of clearance with Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) and a +2 days inland leg to Multan.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Multan?
Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) applies: Sales tax 18%; customs duty 3โ20% plus additional customs duty and regulatory duty on many consumer lines; withholding income tax on imports. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Multan.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Multan?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via KHI (Karachi), LHE (Lahore), ISB (Islamabad). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Multan?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
What certification do I need for Pakistan?
For regulated goods, plan for: PSQCA standards mark for regulated goods; import against a bank contract or letter of credit for most commercial cargo. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
When is the busiest time on the ChinaโPakistan lane?
Space and rates tighten around SepโNov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Other delivery cities in Pakistan
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Pakistan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) or your broker before you ship.
- Pakistan Customs โ Federal Board of Revenue
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO โ IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Cartons Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Flexible Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Outdoor Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
Checking the Pakistan duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
For a wider view of how importing into Pakistan actually works โ documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments โ the U.S. ITA guide to Pakistan customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Multan. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
FCL vs LCL Shipping: When to Switch (Break-Even Point Explained) — Max Antonov. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Pakistan
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Pakistan clearance requirements →