KARACHI: A division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the customs officials and directed them to file their respective para wise comments for next date of hearing on a constitutional petition filed by M/s New Aijaz Engineering & Manufacturers against detention of its imported consignments of steel coils.
On 11 January 2021, during the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that petitioner imported galvanized/ electro galvanized steel coils of secondary quality which were illegally seized by the customs officials and in pursuance show cause notice was issued, however, notwithstanding the show cause notice has been vacated by the collector of customs adjudication-I with directions to release the goods, the respondent continues detain he goods illegally and without and lawful authority, the petitioner having no other alternate, adequate and efficacious remedy available under the law prefers this petition.
Counsel argued that petitioner is a duly registered sole proprietor and a recognized manufacturer of automotive parts and the raw material like galvanized steel sheets are imported and cleared for utilization in the manufacturing unit in consonance with the SRO 655(I) 2006 dated June 2006 whereby the federal government has allowed concessionary regime of customs duty on the raw material, components and subcomponents imported for the manufacture of auto parts etc.
He further argued that petitioner is seriously aggrieved with the unlawful detention of petitioner’s consignments of 86 steel coils, without having any lawful authority, which were imported during the period of Jun, July 2019.
Citing Chairman FBR, Collector of Customs MCC Port Muhammad Bin Qasim and Director, Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation-Customs as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court to declare that the act of detaining/ withholding petitioner’s 86 steel coils, which were ordered to be released vide order-in-original no 921/2019-20 dated March 17, 2020 is illegal, arbitrary and without any lawful authority.
