KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has adjourned hearing of a special customs reference filed by M/s Kings Birds through which it challenged the verdict of the Customs Appellate Tribunal in a case pertaining to smuggling of thousands of rose-ringed parakeet out of the country till October 10.
Justice Munib Akhtar, who headed a division bench, put off the case when advocate Kashif Nazir, who filed power of attorney on behalf of Deputy Collector (AFU) Export Jinnah International Airport, sought time to file a response to the reference.
The appellant moved the court challenging the order of tribunal issued on June 16, 2014. According to the official sources, the alleged wildlife traffickers, including the appellant, exported a large number of rose-ringed parakeets in violation of ban on its export between April 2008 and January 2010.
Subsequently, the Customs Adjudicating Authority had taken up the matter after issuing show-cause notices to the exporters and finally issued an order-in-original, imposing fine on them and their clearing agents.
The exporters appealed against the verdict before Collector of Customs (Appeals) but their appeals were rejected. Later, they approached the appellate tribunal of customs which reduced fine imposed on them through an order dated June 16, 2014.
According to the order, the tribunal reduced the fine from Rs 900,000 to Rs 225,000 imposed on M/s International and Co, which exported 16 consignments. The Rs 25,000 fine imposed on each of its clearing agents, Relax International and Areeba International, was lowered to Rs 10,000 each.
The fine imposed on M/s Professional Traders, which exported nine consignments, was reduced from Rs 200,000 to Rs 50,000. The fine of its clearing agent, Z.S. International, was also reduced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10,000.
The tribunal reduced the fine of M/s Amazing Look from Rs 50,000 to Rs 15,000. The fine of M/s Kings Birds was reduced from Rs 550,000 to Rs 150,000.
