ISLAMABAD: The Customs Appellate Tribunal is unable to function appropriately in the absence of a chairman who has not been appointed by the Ministry of Law and Justice despite the lapse of 23 days.
Former chairman of the tribunal, Ghulam Murtaza Bhatti, had retired from post on April 8 and since then no appointment was made by the ministry resulting in undermining affairs of customs appellate tribunal at all its stations.
According to tribunal’s officials, scheduling new cases hearing was not possible without the chairman who had to assign cases to relevant members.
They added that over six benches were lying dysfunctional in absence of chairman. Two division benches and one single bench had only gone dysfunctional at Islamabad office after retirement of chairman.
In such scenario, cases’ filing and hearing had disturbed at capital’s office, they added demanding that ministry must pay heed to complainants grievances by appointing new chairman at the earliest.