KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to customs department and deputy attorney general on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Lucky Star Steel Industries Private against alleged wrong valuation of iron & steel products as secondary quality instead of prime quality.
While hearing the petition on December 04, 2018, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi also directed them to file their para wise comments on next date of hearing.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated in his petition that petitioner is engaged in the import of prime quality iron & steel products (including HRC, CRC, GP, pre-painted etc and hereinafter the goods), 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 argued that during the course of his business, the petitioner has imported a consignment of prime quality form China and has received import documents, having arranged for the consideration thereto to be paid against proper banking channel.
Counsel further stated that the petitioner’s prime quality goods whilst lying on the port or either being on their way its representatives have been informed that such consignments are to be assessed as those of “secondary quality” on account of directives as contained in the public notice no 03/2018, whereby the second respondent has issued the so-called “guidelines” for the purported purpose of streamlining and facilitating the determination of secondary quality iron & steel products with effect from 10/11/12018.
Citing Chief Collector Appraisement South, Collector of Customs MCC Appraisement West and East as respondents, importer pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents as illegal, mala fide and restrain them from taking any coercive action against it till final order in this case.
