LAHORE: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has upheld the President’s and Federal Tax Ombudsman’s decision directing the Collector of Customs to get a radiation machine meant for cancer patients’ treatment released within, which had been lying with Gerry’s Dnata (Pvt) Ltd since 2023.
Previously, Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Asif Mahmood Jah directed the Lahore Customs collector to get a radiation machine meant for cancer patients’ treatment released within seven days, which had been lying with Gerry’s Dnata (Pvt) Ltd since 2023. Gerry’s filed representation before the president against the findings of the FTO which was dismissed.
Later on, Gerry’s approached IHC invoking its writ jurisdiction against the president’s order which, too, has been dismissed in limine by the single bench.
Speaking to media, Advisor FTO Almas Ali Jovindah said that the decision of the High Court holds immense importance and will set precedence against such backlog in future to avoid any handicap to medical treatment.
The radiation machine had been lying in the shed of the Collectorate of Customs, Lahore, since April 4, 2023, and the Gerry’s was refusing to release the machine without payment of the extra cost for keeping the shipment with it in the warehouse, despite the fact that Customs authorities had issued a Delay and Detention Certificate (DDC) for waiving off the storage charges.
The president issued the order keeping in view the sensitive nature of the equipment and the noble cause of serving humanity, particularly cancer patients. The president warned that in case of non-compliance the Customs collector shall initiate necessary proceedings against the company under the law.
The president lamented that the Gerry’s did not consider it a serious matter, and refused to release the machine without getting a huge payment for warehouse charges, thus, making those cancer patients and poor people of Pakistan suffer who get treatment from the public sector hospitals of the country. “Exploitative business in this manner without a compassionate understanding of issues is regrettable,” he added.
Mayo Hospital Lahore chief executive officer had filed a complaint with Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) against the Collectorate of Customs, Allama Iqbal International Airport (AIIAP), Lahore, on the refusal of Gerry’s to the Delay and Detention Certificate (DDC) issued by the Customs assistant collector (AC) and release the machine.
According to him, the hospital had imported a Cobalt-60 Source for radiation of cancer patients, which was to be the only machine available for patients in public sector hospitals. The machine was lying in the shed of the Collectorate of Customs, AIIAP since April 4, 2023, due to the non-availability of funds to pay the outstanding charges to Gerry’s.
The customs authorities had forwarded the matter to the cargo manager of Gerry’s Dnata Shed, AIIAP, Lahore, who refused to release the consignment without payment of the outstanding charges.
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The complainant had sought to waive the charges and release of the equipment on an urgent basis, but to no avail. Feeling aggrieved, he approached FTO, who asked the Customs collector of AIIAP, Lahore to immediately coordinate with Gerry’s for release of the machine. The Gerry’s then filed a representation against FTO’s decision with the President.
The president, after hearing the case, noted that Gerry’s had not implemented the DDC by not releasing the machine, in violation of the provisions of the Customs Act 1969.
