KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday ordered the customs authorities to immediately comply with its order regarding conditional release of used concrete transit mixer trucks.
Justice Munib Akhtar, who headed a division bench, directed the petitioner importers to deposit the differential amount of duty and taxes with Nazir of the court for issuance of appropriate certificate to get release of 68 vehicles.
The bench had taken up a contempt of court application filed by Haji Ihsan Ullah and others, who requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the customs officials Umar Shafeeq and Imran Afzal for flouting its order regarding release of their vehicles.
Advocate Sarfraz Ali Metlo and Dilkhurram Shaheen submitted that his clients had imported 85 old and used concrete transit mixer trucks six months ago but they were not being released by the customs department on the ground that the importers mis-declared the value of their vehicles and violated the Import Policy Order 2013.
They said that the court earlier on September 11 ordered provisional release of the vehicles with direction for the petitioners to deposit disputed amount of duty and taxes with Nazir of the court. However, the court’s orders were not obeyed.
During previous hearing, the court had issued notice to the Additional Collectors Umar Shafeeq and Imran Afzal to show up before it and explain why they have failed to comply with court orders.
On Wednesday both officials showed up before the court and tendered unconditional apology for disobedience of the court order. They also submitted their statements which were taken on record by the court.
The customs officials told the judges that following the court order, the importers were told to deposit the differential amount with Nazir of the court who would issue certificate for release of the vehicles. As and when they would submit relevant certificate 68 out of 85 vehicles would be cleared and released at first.
The hearing of case was put off till October 21.
