ISLAMABAD: Customs Appellate Tribunal, headed by Chairman Justice (r) Manzoor Hussain, while hearing various benches at the tribunal, heard over a dozen cases during previous recent week of February.
The chairman headed cases hearings at the tribunal’s headquarters in Islamabad for three days during recent week and disposed of couple of cases while adjourned hearing of many others.
A single bench of tribunal, comprising of Justice (r) Malik Manzoor Hussain heard cases filed by Aftab Ahmed, Asif Ali, Zulifqar Ali, Rashid Ahmed, Salman Khan, Safi Airways, Mediland Pakistan and others.
The bench dismissed a petition filed by Asif Ali and adjourned hearing on other cases till first week of March.
The bench dismissed Ali’s petition against Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation for non-prosecution.
The bench also adjourned hearing on cases filed by M/s Waseem Autos, M/s Nisar Traders, M/s Parts & Parts, M/s Chief Autos, M/s Aman Elahi, M/s Kohinoor Traders, M/s Saleem Silk Centre, M/s Five Star Trading, M/s Pakistan Royal Group and M/s Nayatel Private Limited, M/s Degicell & others, M/s Kohinoor Chemical, Mirza Muhammad Majid, M/s Fazal Razaq, M/s Fazal Ur Rehman and Gul Rehman & others.
The appellants had filed cases against Directorate General of Investigation and Intelligence, Islamabad and Model Collectorate of Customs, Islamabad. Hearing of these cases was adjourned during last visit of chairman.
Tribunal’s division bench comprising of Chairman, Justice (r) Manzoor Hussain and Ziauddin Wazir heard Ayan Ali’s moneylaundering case.
Ayyan Ali’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa had filed the petition at Customs Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad challenging decision of a lower customs court regarding confiscation of amount $500,000, seized while being smuggled by Ayyan Ali, and imposition of fine for trying to smuggle money out of Pakistan.
Ayyan was arrested from Benazir Bhutto International Airport with $500,000 in March this 2015. The Airport Security Force intercepted her and recovered the said amount from her luggage. She was released on bail after four months in Adiala Jail.
Through the petition, Ayyan’s counsel challenged the said decision announced by a Rawalpindi customs court. The court had indicted Ayyan for trying to smuggle $500,000 out of the Pakistan.
The amount was confiscated by customs authorities and laercustoms adjudication found her guilty of smuggling said amount out of Pakistan.
Customs court maintained departmental decision on confiscation of amount being tried to smuggle and also added fine of $500,000 (same amount seized while being smuggled) on Ayyan.
Customs tribunal had yet not decided the date to hear the case. Ayyan had filed the petition at tribunal after appointment of new Chairman Manzoor Hussain.
It is pertinent to mention that Ayyan had pleaded not guilty to the charges of money laundering at the lower court and defended against the case in which she has been purposefully implicated.
Customs court Judge Rana Aftab Ahmed heard the case and had recorded several eye witnesses in the case. It is worth mentioning that custom officer Chaudhry Ijaz, one of the key witnesses in the case, was murdered. Ijaz was shot in the leg when two armed motorcyclists opened fire at him in the remits of Waris Khan police station.
Apex courts had also rejected her acquittal pleas in the money laundering case however she was granted bail on securities to attend the lawful proceedings in the case.
