KARACHI: A divisional bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Zulfiqar Ahmed Khan here on Thursday will hear a constitutional petition filed by Customs, Sales Tax Practitioners Association.

The petitioner seeks appointment of Chairman, Customs Appellate Tribunal, a post vacant since four months after a judgment by the apex court holding that such posts can be filled in by the persons nominated in consultation with the apex court.

The petitioners including Muhammad Saleem Mangrio, Ghulamullah advocate maintains that due to delay in appointment of chairman, the work at appellate benches of Customs tribunal came to a halt. The new appeals are also piling up and may result in difficulties to the appellant importers/exporters.

They prays to the court to order immediate appointment of Chairman, Special Customs Appellate Tribunal or in the alternative delegation of powers to senior member judicial who could assign/mark cases to the appellate benches.