KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) passed interim order and restrained customs officials from taking any coercive action against the petitioners including registration of first information report (FIR) and their arrest, whereas before taking any adverse action against the petitioners’ opportunity of being heard shall be provided to the petitioners in accordance with law on a constitutional petition filed my different importer against lodging FIR.
On 7 October 2021, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Shafi Muhammad Siddiqui and Justice Agha Faisal heard the matter.
During the hearing, Salman Yousaf for petitioner Noor Nabi Advocate briefed M Khalid Mahmood Siddiqui, Advocate for customs department.
After the hearing, the court directed them to come prepared and submit their comments for the next date of hearing, court also extended the above-mentioned interim order.
Earlier, counsel for the Muhammad Ali, Dleep Kumar, Muhammad Rahil, Abdul Khalique, Abdul Razzak, Ajit Kumar and others appeared before the court and argued that their clients are importers and some clearing agents, he added that petitioners imported shampoo, body spray, cosmetic and related products and dumped at their warehouse at K-28 Trans Lyari, Maripur, Karachi.
Counsel added that without lawful authority, customs officials raided the same and all goods were detained and claimed that said goods belonged to smuggling.
Citing Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Chief Collector of Customs Enforcement South, Assistant Collector of Customs Preventive and Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization and others as respondents, petitioners pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents is illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He further pleaded the court may direct them to release their lawful imported goods and restrain the from taking any adverse action against the petitioner till final order in this petition.
