ISLAMABAD: A Customs Appellate Tribunal bench has reserved a decision on a customs reference filed against Collectorate of Customs, Islamabad.
A division bench of the Customs Appellate Tribunal comprising Muhammad Nasir Khan and Ziauddin Wazir heard the case challenging seizure of around 150 imported mobile phones and reserved the decision. During the last hearing, the bench had directed the parties to provide details relating to the case.
The appellant, through the case had challenged the decision in which tribunal had ordered to maintain seizure of mobile phones first confiscated by the customs authorities at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad.
That time, Customs Appellate Tribunal’s single bench comprising Member Technical, Muhammad Nasir Khan heard the petition challenging Collectorate of Islamabad’s decision of mobile phones confiscation.
The tribunal had then dismissed the matter and upheld MCC’s decision regarding confiscation of mobile phones worthy Rs 6 million.
The petitioner had brought the mobiles into Pakistan through airport which MCC had declared illegal and in violation of regulations adopted for carrying mobiles phone in luggage.
The MCC authorities had confiscated the mobile phones at the airport and subsequently decided not to release them as the petitioner had violated the rules while returning to Pakistan. He had claimed that he carried 150 mobile phone which he gift his friends and family members.
It is pertinent to mention that another tribunal bench had also heard a similar cases couple of months ago. The bench had maintained adjudication decision and did not set aside the confiscation of mobile phones by the department. The appellant then had approached the high court against the tribunal’s decision.
