KARACHI:-A constitution petition filed by a clearing agent accused of using fictitious names and NOCs, NTN numbers of importers, was disposed of by a division bench of High Court of Sindh after Custom Officer and Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan held an assurance that petitioner was neither harassed nor would be harassed in future.
The bench comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Salahuddin Panhwar earlier heard counsel for petitioner, Syed Qamber Ali, having office at Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) who cited Chairman FBR, Shiraz Ahmed Deputy Collector KC Export Intelligence Branch and Raza Abbas Haider, Investigating Officer, Customs.
The petitioner maintained that in March/April 2013 Maria Traders imported used clothing’s 200 bags and used mixed shoes 25 bags and cleared by his firm, Afterwards Customs threatened him of lodging FIR on alleged charge of issuance of fake sales invoice and NOC in the name of fictitious importers to evade duty and taxes and thus committed fiscal fraud. The petitioner alleged that Custom officer demanded rupees 58,000 as bribe and as he refused to pay the illegal gratification he was served with notices.
The custom took the plea that department has received complaints from the importers that petitioner is using their names, NTN and other vital information for forged sales invoices which would land them into trouble any time.
Today when the petition came up for hearing, DAG along with an officer of the Pakistan Customs appeared before the bench and pleaded that, they have not caused any harassment to the petitioner nor would do so in future. The counsel for petitioner expressed satisfaction over the statement and prayed to the court to dispose of the petition. The bench allowed the request recording the statement of the Pakistan Customs officer.