KARACHI: A division bench of High Court of Sindh comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Anwar Hussain on Friday disposing of a petition filed by Shaikh Muhammad Ishtiaq, importer of steel bars ordered release of the consignment at declared value.

The bench also directed the petitioner to submit security with Nazir of SHC in respect of disputed amount of Value Addition Tax.

The bench earlier heard the counsel for petitioner who while praying for an interim relief submitted that delay in release of consignment would be detrimental to his interests. Kashif Nazeer advocate, counsel for Custom department while submitting para-wise comments endorsed the plea by the petitioner side that only issue of Value Addition Tax is involved.

The bench after hearing contentions of both the counsel while disposing of the petition ordered  that without prejudice to the case of the petitioner or the department as an interim relief  the consignment be released after payment of duty, taxes etc at  declared value. The bench further ordered that petitioner shall deposit the security equal to disputed amount of Value Addition Tax with the Nazir of SHC. The Nazir was also directed to issue a certificate after which the consignment was to be released.