ISLAMABAD: A division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs officials to release the consignment on bank guarantee on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Associated Rolling Mills against detention of its imported consignment of second quality iron & steel re-rolling scrap.
On June 19, 2020, during the hearing of petition, a two-member bench also directed them to file their comprehensive para wise comments on next date of hearing.
During the hearing, counsel for petitioner submitted that petitioner is engaged in the import of second quality iron & steel products which are covered/ assessed under chapter 72 of Pakistan Customs Tariff under the relevant sub-chapter headings of “others” as opposed to secondary quality iron & steel products, which are specifically and expressly mentioned by their nomenclature i.e “secondary quality.
He further argued that during the course of their business, the petitioner imported consignment of 1,020.760 MT of iron & steel re-rolling scrap from European Method Recycling Ltd UK at the rate US$ 376.50 and filed goods declaration according with law.
However, petitioner was shocked when it was information that consignment has been detained by customs officials due the disputed valuation and petitioner approached the customs department and requested them to release the consignment on provisional release, however, they denied to release the said consignment.
Citing Chief Collector Appraisement South, Collector of Customs Appraisement West and East as respondents, importers pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents is illegal, mala fide, direct them to release consignment of the petitioner and restrain them from taking any coercive action against it till final order in these petitions.
