KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has seized spare parts of aircraft and computer servers brought into the country without paying due customs duties. The private airline responsible for bringing the consignment from Dubai has been issued notice by the authorities concerned.
Sources said that customs seized the goods at Karachi airport. The consignment was brought from Dubai aboard a flight of the Shaheen Air International. Had the consignment been imported in a proper manner, the importer would have paid about Rs 1 million in duties. A show-cause notice issued to the airline by Additional Collector of Customs Abdul Basit Chaudhry on March 25 says that spare parts of aircraft and other goods illegally brought in by the flight from Dubai were seized.
The letter says the seized goods include four parts of antennae, a starter control valve, a protector tank over pressure, 25 O rings, a POD end, and a window heat computer. The consignment in nine packages also includes two IBM servers. A car, probably used to take the consignment away from the airport, has also been seized.
The notice says the value of the goods has been assessed at $ 30,900 and the duties and taxes thus evaded to over Rs 1 million. By carrying the goods, it says, the airline has violated provisions of the Customs Act 1969. The offence is punishable under provisions of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act 1950.
The letter asks the Shaheen Air International management to explain why the goods should not be confiscated and penalty should not be imposed on the airline. The management has been asked to submit a reply in seven days. If no reply is submitted during this period, it will be presumed that the airline does not want to contest the charges and the case will be decided on the basis of available record/evidence, says the notice.
