KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs authorities to make sure filing of their comments on a petition filed by M/s M.I Traders seeking release order of its consignment of miscellaneous goods seized by customs officials due to alleged disputed valuation.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, was hearing the matter on September 10, 2018.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that petitioner is an importer of above-said goods and always fulfills all the legal formalities according with law and never involved in any criminal or tax evasion case but he is seriously aggrieved and highly prejudiced by the action of respondents Collector of Customs Customs Collectorate, whereby, it is assessing the imported consignment of miscellaneous goods as disputed valuation.
He argued that petitioner despite the fact he paid duty and taxes according with and approached the customs officials to release of his consignment; however, they denied to release his consignment of miscellaneous goods.
Citing Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Sectary Revenue and Statistics, Collector of Customs Collectorate East as respondents, he pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents as illegal, mala fide and arbitrary. He also pleaded that the court may direct them to release his consignment immediately and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner.
