KARACHI: A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC), headed by Justice Irfan Sadat Khan disposed of the constitutional petition with directions filed by M/s Global Imports, M/s Ahmed Impex, M/s Pak International seeking release order for imported consignments of pet food stuff detained by customs officials due to disputed valuation.
On 17 January 2022, during the hearing, Imran Iqbal Khan for petitioner, Kafeel Ahmed Abbasi, deputy attorney general, Irfan Halepota, Bilal Bhatti advocates for customs officials appeared before the court.
After the hearing, court observed that “learned counsel for the petitioners submits that a revision application under section 25D is pending, challenging the order, whereby the valuation ruling was impugned, learned counsel submits that he is willing to secure the differential amount in terms of the valuation ruling and value declared in the goods declaration before the concerned collectorate.
Let such goods be released on securing differential amount with a concerned collectorate in the above terms, petition stands disposed of the above manner along with listed application”.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioners argued that petitioners are engaged lawful business, import of pet foods from different countries and always fulfilled all the legal formalities according to law.
He added that during the course of their business, petitioners imported a consignments of pet food (cat & dog food) and filed goods declarations according to law, however, customs officials seized the above-mentioned goods under the garb of valuation ruling no 1570/2021.
Counsel submitted that assessment is being done by the customs officials higher than declared valuation. Petitioners approached the customs officials for provisional release; however, request of the petitioners has been declined by the customs officials.
Citing Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Director General of Valuation, Director Valuation, Collector of Customs Appraisement East, Collector of Customs Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement West as respondents, petitioners pleaded the court may declare that act of the respondents is illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He further pleaded the court to set aside impugned valuation ruling, direct them to release petitioners’ consignment and restrain them from taking any adverse action against the petitioners till final order in this petition.
