KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to tax authorities and deputy attorney general on a constitutional petition filed by M/s New Light House (Private) Limited to get unblock its NTN and user ID. The Customs Appraisement-East deputy collector blocked the tax number and the ID on May 8, 2016.
While hearing the petition, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Munib Akhter and Justice Anwar Hussain, directed the respondents to submit their respective comments on the next date of hearing. The court adjourned the hearing for September 9, 2016.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel stated that petitioner imported and cleared consignments of welding electrodes at the declared value in terms of Section 79 and 80 of the Customs Act, 1969.
According to the petitioner, in August 2011, a show cause notice was issued on the basis of audit report of the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) for the recovery of Rs 7,311,923 on alleged charges of mis-declaration. The petitioner submitted its reply to the show cause notice while the adjudication authority had upheld the charges of mis-declaration and imposed a fine of 100,000 on the appellant.
The counsel argued that petitioner had challenged the order before the SHC, however, respondents, ignoring this aspect of the case blocked the NTN and user ID of the petitioner on WeBOC system on May 8, 2016 without issuing any show cause notice to the petitioner.
Citing Revenue Division secretary and Appraisement-East Deputy Collectio Hina Gul as respondents, the petitioner pleaded the SHC may declare that the action of the respondents for blocking the consignments subject matter of goods declaration is illegal, malafide, unjustified and unlawful. He pleaded the SHC may set aside impugned demand notice and restrain the respondents from taking any coercive action against the petitioner. The petitioner further pleaded the SHC may unblock NTN and user ID.
