KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has restrained the Customs Department from taking any coercive action against M/s Al-Hamra Trading Company (Private) Limited.
Imran Rauf, the proprietor of the company, had filed a constitutional petition, challenging a show cause notice issued by the customs authorities.
While the hearing the petition, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Omer Sial, issued notices to the customs officials and deputy attorney general, directing them to file their respective para wise comments on the next date of hearing.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated that it is engaged in lawful business of import and export of different chemicals and fulfills all the liabilities according to the law.
He submitted that it imported chemical items namely styrene butadiene rubber from Taiwan dated 30/30/2017 which was stopped by the customs authorities and allegation was fixed that the imported good is not covered under serial no 100 of the SRO 1125 (1)/ 2011 and the petitioner by concealing the facts has got the benefit of the above SRO.
Importer said that now only stopping the goods, customs department also issued show cause notice to the petitioner and directed officials to start proceeding against it without fulfilling any lawful requirement.
Citing Secretary Ministry of Finance, Port of Shipping through its Secretary, Chief Collector of Customs Collectorate West and others as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court to declare the act of the respondents as illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He also pleaded the court to direct them to release its consignment and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final order in this petition.
