ISLAMABAD: With a direction to submit relating documents, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has adjourned the hearing of a case, challenging decision announced by Customs Appellate Tribunal’s Technical Member M Nasir Khan to confiscate 50 cell phones.
A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard the case filed by Muhammad Nadeem.
The appellant had challenged Customs Appellate Tribunal verdict before the court. The tribunal had maintained to confiscate 50 mobiles belonging to the appellant.
He (Nadeem) was caught while importing unhallowed mobile items which were seized by the customs authorities at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad.
Model Collectorate of Customs’ deputy collector, Customs Adjudication collector had then decided to confiscate 50 mobile phones and termed the endeavor as ‘smuggling’ of mobile items.
The customs also offered the Nadeem to redeem mobile items by paying fine of 30 percent of total cost of mobile items. The appellant had declined the offer then.
The appellant brought the matter to the tribunal where the decision to keep confiscated mobiles was maintained, however the tribunal strike down customs decisions to term mobile phones’ import as ‘smuggling’.
The tribunal did not grant any further relief to the party stating the reason that the adjudication had already offered him to redeem the confiscated items by paying 30 percent of the total cost.
The appellant had sought relief from court terming adjudication and tribunal’s decision as lacking lawful grounds and discriminatory.
