KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) headed by Justice Agha Faisal has rejected several petitions moved by M/s Abdullah & Co, Pakistan Synthetic Limited, and others.
The petitioners had prayed for relief in the context of the release of imported products in spite of a pending judgment regarding the Valuation Ruling.
The court rejected the petitions after it was informed that the issue had already been settled through prior decisions by the SHC and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Earlier decisions quoted
The respondent Pakistan Customs’ Advocate, Sardar Zafar Hussain, told the court that the matter under dispute had long since been decided by the SHC in 2024, in the case Shamim Ahmed & Others (2024 PTD 736). He further added that the Supreme Court had also dealt with the same issue in the case Collector of Customs, Lahore vs Wasim Radio Traders (2023 SCMR 1716).
Petitioner’s non-attendance & ruling of the court
The bench observed the counsel of the petitioner in absentia even though the case was put up for hearing. Based on the earlier judgments, the court observed that the Supreme Court decision is binding. Accordingly, the petitions were rejected.
Issue under consideration
The principal question raised was if imported goods can be released by way of an interim order during the pendency of the challenge to the Valuation Ruling before the Director General (Valuation) or the Customs Appellate Tribunal.
