KARACHI: The Special Customs and Taxation Court has directed Pakistan Customs to explain whether it would return 500 tola gold, seized by it in 1997, to the suspected smuggler after receiving duty and taxes or it would pay the cost of it as per its market value.
Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi adjourned the hearing till August 21 when the prosecution and defense side would forward their arguments.
In 1997, 500 tola gold was recovered from possession of Abdul Majeed at Jinnah International Airport. It was alleged that Abdul Majeed smuggled the gold into country without paying duty and taxes. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against him under the sections of Customs Act 1969.
At the outset, the counsel for the alleged smuggler told the judge that the Sindh High Court (SHC) had directed the collector of Customs to release the seized gold after receiving duty and taxes payable at the time of seizure. However, the collector appealed the verdict in the Supreme Court but his appeal was rejected and the court upheld the high court’s judgment.
He, however, lamented that despite the court orders, the customs authorities are reluctant to release the gold. He said his client is being offered the cost of the seized gold as per its market value at the time seizure which he is refusing to accept as it would cause huge loss to him because he had faced mental agony so long and besides sold house and spend entire life savings on pleading his case.
The counsel said that his client is willing to pay whatever import duty and taxes payable as of now on import of gold provided either gold is returned or its cost is given as per market value.
When asked about the customs’ stance in the case, the investigations officer sought time for seeking instructions from the relevant collector of customs on whether to return gold or pay its cost.
