KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to officials of the customs department and deputy attorney general on a constitutional petition filed by Faisal Akhlaq, proprietor of M/s Cargo Manager against seizing of office record and harassment by the customs officials.
While the hearing of petition, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar also directed them to file their respective para wise comments on next date of hearing.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated that on January 31, 2018 customs officials lodged the three first information reports against three importing firm namely M/s Arham & Co Lahore, M/s Zuntiqam Impex Lahore, M/s Rana Enterprises and staff of AICT and M/s Allied Logistics and during the investigation the complainant also arrested five staff members of the petitioner’s firm and also nominated the petitioner as an accused in the callan submitted in FIR on the allegations that he failed to produce the owner of the importing firm and provide his contact numbers.
He submitted that investigation officer after seizure of files/ record lying in the office of the petitioner sealed their offices, however, petitioner has been granted interim pre-arrest bail.
He argued that investigation officer without any lawful justification seized the office record of the petitioner and sealed the office premises and now bent upon harassing and intimidating the petitioner and embarking upon further illegal action against him, thus leaving with no other alternate and efficacious remedy except to invoke the constitutional jurisdiction of this court for redress of their grievance.
Citing Secretary Revenue Division, the Collector of Customs Collectorate West and the Deputy Collector of Customs Collectorate West as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court may declare that act of the respondents is illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He also pleaded the court to direct the respondents not to harass the petitioner, his officers and staff and restrain them from taking any adverse action against the petitioner and his staff till final order in this case.
