KARACHI: The Special Custom and Taxation Court has acquitted two tiles importers who were accused of evading duties worth more than Rs 1 million,
Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi announced the verdict after recording arguments from defense and prosecution side. According to the prosecution, M/s Hussain International proprietor Zohaib and M/s Creative Traders proprietor Waqas Shahzada were booked under under Section 32 of Customs Act 1969 for evading duties.
Advocate Sardar Muhammad Ishaque, who represented the accused, submitted that earlier in 2010 the National Tariff Commission had slapped provisional anti-dumping duty on import of tiles. Subsequently, the importers of tiles challenged imposition of such duty in the Islamabad High Court.
As an interim relief, the Court had directed the Pakistan Customs to clear the consignments of tiles after receiving anti-dumping duty in form of post dated cheaques from importers.
Later, he said, IHC struck down imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty. Following the Court order, NTC issued a notification withdrawing the duty. The counsel submitted that instead of returning cheques, the customs authorities tried to cash the cheques which were bounced. Subsequently, the FIRs were registered against his clients.
He recalled that Islamabad High Court had also directed the customs authorities to return cheaques but its directions were flouted. Moreover, he said that the FIRs were registered without adopting legal procedure. Therefore, he requested the Court to quash the FIRs and acquit the tiles importers of charges.
