ISLAMABAD: Following absence of chairman, Customs Appellate Tribunal has become dysfunctional entirely in absence of any functioning bench at its headquarters in Islamabad.
Out of six single and divisions benches, none of the benches are functioning currently aftar months of retirement of former chairman Ghulam Murtaza Bhatti.
Five of these benches had become dysfunctional the moment Customs Appellate Tribunal’s former chairman, Ghjulam Murtaza Bhatti got retired in April after completing his term. While only functioning bench, comprising Member Nasir Khan, had become dysfunctional following lacking of cases to hear as under the incumbent rules, chairman could only assign cases to benches for hearing.
Tribunal officials stated that the benches had become dysfunctional since they were not assigned cases to be heard in absence of tribunal’s chairman. They added that new chairman’s appointment was being awaited since last April but the Ministry of Law and Justice had paid no heed to the matter and the tribunal’s chairman office was lying vacant even after lapse of almost three months. In such situation, members available could not hear the cases as present law does not allow them, they maintained.
Five benches of the Customs Appellate Tribunal which became dysfunctional following ending of tenure of chairman used to comprise Ghulam Murtaza Bhatti, Member Technical Maqsoodul Hassan and Muhammad Nasir Khan.
Member Technical, Muhammad Nasir Khan heard the last cases at tribunal’s headquarters in Islamabad. Appellants, Zamanul Haq and M/s Indus Laboratory had filed these cases against Collectorate of Customs, Islamabad. Both the cases have been disposed of leaving tribunal without any case to hear.
