KARACHI: The Appraising Intelligence Branch (AIB) of the Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement-West is going to prepare “penal surcharge statement” against the importer Dewan Cement Limited (Pakland Cement) in its alleged involvement in tax/duty evasion.
The AIB sources informed Customs Today that the department after the verdict of Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has started to prepare penal surcharge statement against the importer in terms of evading duty for last 19years.
The sources further revealed that the AIB will finalize the said statement till Tuesday and then send a demand notice to the importer for the recovery of the legitimate government revenue. “Pakistan Customs has a right to confiscate the property of the importer Dewan Cement (Pakland Cement) in case of non-payment,” they added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court has already given a verdict in favour of Pakistan Customs last week, in which it asked the importer to deposit an amount of around Rs 80 million.
The penal surcharge recovery has been raised against the importer after the verdict given by apex court in which it disposed off the appeal filed by the importer against Pakistan Customs and ordered to pay surcharge amount.
According to details, the case has been decided by Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) after 19 years, as the Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement in 1995 had detected the tax evasion against Dewan Cement Limited in import of machinery, scrap and raw material in which the importer tried to evade legitimate duty/taxes in terms of customs duty and sales tax, while recovery of surcharge amount is still in pending as the apex court has not yet issued its verdict in this regard.
Subsequently, the importer Dewan Cement Limited after issuance of demand notices by the authorities of Pakistan Customs in connection with the recovery of duty/taxes had moved to the Sindh High Court (SHC) and then the Supreme Court of Pakistan and got stay order. However, after 19 years efforts by the customs officials of law branch in MCC Appraisement-West, the apex court on Tuesday, gave its judgment in the favour of the Pakistan Customs and asked the Dewan Cement Limited to deposit its non-paid duty/taxes amount.
