KARACHI: M/s MIMA Trading (Private) Limite has approached the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking benefit for the present and future import consignments as per the scheme of the order dated May 31, 2011 on furnishing of security /bank guarantee equal to 50 percent of the imported ‘infrastructure fee’.
The petitioner stated that petitioner is a industrial concern and a regular importer of raw material and machinery as well as exporter of its finished end-products.
It said that the respondents demanded infrastructure fee on imports and did not allow release of goods from the port area. This infrastructure fee is un-authorized, unlawful, and dispute on its legality is sub-juiced since long before Sindh High Court and SHC passed an order 31/05/2011 that, leviable infrastructure fee will be payable at 50 percent cash through pay order, whereas the rest of 50 percent will be secured through bank guarantee with the respondents department.
According to the petitioner, in compliance to the said order, it approached the respondents for submission of bank guarantee for 50 percent of leviable impugned infrastructure fee and to pay rest of 50 percent in cash or through pay order. However, the respondents are reluctant to obey the order of the SHC and claiming that the petitioner did not file petition as it is not incorporated in the list of the petitioners contained in the said order passed by the court.
The petitioner said that various import consignments of the petitioner are in transit which will reach Karachi port very soon and will be required urgently for home consumption, if delayed with in port area, will be subject to heavy port storage and demurrage charge which will be extra penalty on the petitioner..
Citing secretary of the Excise and Taxation Department and the director Excise and Taxation Department as respondents, the petitioner pleaded the court to direct the respondents to extend the benefits of the court order for the present as well as the future import consignments of the petitioner as per the scheme of the court order.
