KARACHI: An appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising JusticeMunib Akhtar and Justice Omar Sial on Thursday ordered release of consignments of soap at value determined in the Valuation ruling. The bench was hearing a number of petitions filed by Hansika, Shinwari trading etc who challenged the

unilateral increase in value by the Director General, Valuation in violation of section 25-D of the Customs Act 1969.

Ghulam Hyder Shaikh advocate appearing for the petitioner has submitted on a previous hearing that the DG Valuation has no powers to enhance the value while a Valuation Ruling passed as per mandate of section 25 exists. The court while deciding dozens of identical petitions has already ordered release of the consignments at value determined by the Valuation Ruling applicable in each case.

Meanwhile the same bench reserved order in a number of petitions filed by Pharmaceutical companies, herbal product importers and general importers who imported consignments of food supplements including NIDO milk, food fo rpets and others detained by Pakistan Customs on ground that  the consignments in dispute fall in the category of “drug” and not food supplement or edible items. The customs is demanding import license issued by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for importing the consignments stuck up at the port. The petitioners further maintains that after the 18 th amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, the powers have been vested into the provinces thus FBR and others have no jurisdiction to interfere.