KARACHI: Collectorate of Customs Adjudication-I is likely to decide the tax evasion case linked with the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and its authorized dealer Huawei Technologies and clearing agent Eastern Freighter (Pvt) Limited during the current month, April.
Sources informed Customs Today that the Collectorate of Customs Adjudication-I Collector Dr. Farid Iqbal Qureshi has heard the arguments, presented by M/s PTCL and the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation Karachi in several hearing in order to decide the case.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Directorate General of Customs I&I Karachi Region seized consignments of telecommunication equipments worth Rs170 million imported by M/s PTCL through Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement-West by using Green channel.
It may be mentioned here that it was a fifth case of tax evasion against the M/s PTCL and its authorized dealer M/s Huawei Technologies and clearing agent M/s Eastern Freighter in which Rs170 million were evaded in terms of Custom Duty, Sales Tax and Income Tax.
Earlier, four tax evasion cases involving billions of rupees have been reported against the importer M/s PTCL, M/s Huawei Technologies and clearing agent M/s Eastern Freighter.
Out of all four tax evasion cases, three have been adjudicated by the Collector of Customs Adjudication-I, while one case has been adjudged by the Collector of Customs Adjudication-II. The adjudication authorities in their judgments asked the importer M/s PTCL to deposit the evaded duty/taxes in the national exchequer, while the adjudicating authorities had also imposed fine/penalty on the importer on its involvement in tax evasion.
It may be mentioned here that the importer M/s PTCL has already moved the Customs Tribunal against the judgment made by the customs adjudication in tax evasion cases.
