KARACHI: A division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) called comments on maintainability of the petition and also issued notices to customs officials and deputy attorney general for July 14, 2020 on a constitutional petition filed by M/s R.A Agency in fake importer’ remittance certificate matter.
On 9 July 2020, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Khalid Hussain heard the matter and also disposed of application for urgent hearing.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner argued that petitioner’s company is engaged in the business of customs clearing and forwarding business, consignments of used vehicles Toyota Vitz was imported by the importer namely Sajid Ali under baggage scheme in terms of SRO 52(1)/2019 dated Jan 15, 2019 and petitioner’s company being a clearing agent filed goods declaration in accordance with the contents of documents furnished by the said importers.
He said that during the process of clearance of vehicles in question, it was observed by the customs authorities that remittance certificate of Soneri Bank Cantt, district, Rawalpindi provided by importer was fake, consequently, the respondents threatened to adopt coercive measures against the petitioner.
He submitted that despite the fact that petitioner being a clearing agent had not done anything illegal or wrong and on the contrary acted in accordance with law, the undue harassment is being done by the respondents and the respondents had threatened the petitioner for adopting coercive measure against him.
Citing The Collector of Customs Appraisement East, Licensing Authority (Appraisement) Additional Collector of Customs, Chairman FBR as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court may declare that under the circumstances, it is most respectfully prayed that by accepting this petition, this court may be pleased to declare being a clearing agent no illegality has been committed by the petitioner.
Under the circumstances, it is most respectfully prayed that by accepting this petition, this curt may be gracious enough to declare that the impugned blocking sheet/ consignment is void ab-initio and without lawful authority beside detrimental to the livelihood of the petitioner.
