KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs officials to file their comments on a petition filed by M/s Iqra Enterprises seeking restoration of public bonded warehouse license suspended by customs officials on May 23, 2018.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, heard the matter on August 27, 2018.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated in his petition that petitioner was granted a public bonded warehouse license since August 3, 2001, under Section 12 of the Customs Act, 1969 by the Collector of Customs Appraisement West and same was continued to date.
He argued that petitioner is strictly compiled with all the terms and condition of license and since no any adverse inference has ever been drawn against the petitioner by the respondents.
He said that impugned notice of May 23, 2018 under Section 13 (4) of the Customs Act, 1969 read with Rule 345 of the Customs Rules 2001, whereby the public warehouse license of the petitioner has been suspended by the respondents without any reason and even without any show cause notice under Section 13 (3) of the Customs Act, 1969 was ever issued to the petitioner by the respondents which is mandatory requirement of law for suspension of license under Section 13 (4) of the Customs Act, 1069.
He argued that petitioner has filed comprehensive reply to the aforementioned impugned notice and requested the respondents to restore his license.
Citing Secretary Revenue Division, Collector of Customs Appraisement West, Assistant Collector Appraisement West as respondents, he pleaded the court to declare that impugned notice issued by respondents as illegal, mala fide and arbitrary. He pleaded that court may restore the license of the petitioner in accordance with law.
Counsel also pleaded the court to direct respondents to provide sufficient time to the petitioner to segregate the bonded consignments and other stock of the customers.
