KARACHI: Resolving a controversy raised in a Special Customs Reference Application (SCRA) regarding the steel alloy, non alloy, an appellate of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising  Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan ordered release on payment of enhanced duty after counsel for petitioner agreed to pay the new rate of duty, taxes and Regulatory Duty (RD) imposed on non alloy too.

The consignment was stuck up at port after the appellant and authorities of Pakistan Customs disputed the nature of imported consignment. The bench perused the report by Steel Committee consisted on its orders. However advocate Aqeel Ahmed appearing for the appellant submitted that dispute over nature of consignment becomes meaningless as government has recently imposed Regulatory Duty at a rate of 17 percent and now the Petitioner has to pay at a rate of 22 per cent. The petitioner is ready to pay at the new rate, he-submitted.

Interesting situation developed as Principal Appraiser Law, Pakistan Customs, Ilyas Ahsan opposed the plea and said duty taxes at a rate of 20 per cent are acceptable to the department and not not at 22 per cent. The court however ruled over and  ordered release of the consignment after payment a a rate of 22 per cent.