KARACHI: A Customs appellate bench of High Cour t of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Mrs Ashraf Jahan on Tuesday deferred hearing of multiple criminal contempt pleas filed by different petitioners in grey fabric case commonly known as Horizon case till Feb 07 directing the customs collectorate concerned to release the consignments 50-60 in number.

Today when the contempt pleas were taken up, custom officials told the bench that they have processed the consignments and assessed them as per Valuation Ruling. The bench ordered that both the Additional Collectors shall finalize the release in the presence of petitioners, They were also asked to decide the issue of delay detention certificate.

The bench found that ADC Port Qasim Yasin Murtaza was not in attendance. The bench expressing annoyance ordered him to appear in person before the court on Feb 07 along with a compliance report.

The controversy pertains to import of raw cloth grey fabric which Pakistan Customs dubbed to be of Indian origin and hence falling with category of banned items are per Import Policy. The petitioners including Horizon International maintained that consignment contains import from China, purchased at Dubai.

The SHC earlier ordered release of the consignment on ground that proving the origin or manufacturing of disputed fabric being Indian is responsibility of the customs department.