KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed customs department to file para wise comments on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Karachi Corporation, seeking release of their consignment of hydrocarbon solvents (petroleum distillate) seized by the department. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, was hearing the petition.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that in the normal course of business, the petitioner purchased 4775.661 MT of mixed hydrocarbon petroleum distillate (hydrocarbon solvent RIK-350) from M/s Alchemist Energy Trading, DMC UAE, and when consignment arrived at Karachi port, the petitioner filed goods declaration on May 10, 2017 at the rate of $390 per MT.
According to the counsel, instead of clearing goods, the respondent disagreed with the declaration, disregarded the laboratory report and sought to assess the goods as solvent oil non-composite. He argued that numerous identical consignments of various other importers are being cleared, however, petitioner is being discriminated and denied clearance of goods at the instance of its competitors.
Citing Secretary Revenue Division, chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Chief Collector of Customs South, Appraisement, Collector of Customs Collectorate Preventive, Additional Collector of Customs Collectorate Preventive, Deputy Collector of Customs Collectorate Preventive as respondents, counsel for the petitioner pleaded the court may direct them to release its consignment immediately.
