KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the customs department and deputy attorney general on a petition filed by M/s RTS Engineering Works against detention of its imported consignment due to disputed valuation ruling.
On 22 February 2020 a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing the matter.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that petitioner is a regular importer of various secondary quality steel products and for same purpose are registered with tax authorities and during the course of its import contracts L.C for imports of various consignments of secondary quality steel coils/ steels at the price/ rates mentioned in respective sale contracts and letters of credits, whereas, on arrival of respective goods, petitioner filed goods declaration and requested the customs authorities to clear its imported goods.
He further submitted that however, customs officials are bent upon to assess the customs value of subject consignments as per valuation ruling, bearing registration no 1213/2017 under section 25A ibid, which has been set-aside being declared as without lawful authority by the appropriate appellate authority, in a number of appeals there-against vide an earlier judgment dated July 18, 2018 and subsequent through a consolidated judgment dated Oct 20, 2018 and that the same judgments hold the filed till date as no suspension order has been attained by the respondents collectoarate till date.
Citing chairman FBR, collector of Customs Appraisement East, West and Port Muhammad Bin Qasim as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents to assess the import consignments of the petitioners under an illegal, non-existent and set-aside valuation ruling by appropriate authority is illegal, unlawful, unwarranted and without lawful authority.
He further pleaded the court may direct them to release its imported consignments immediately and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final judgment in this petition.
