KARACHI: A dsivision bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Mrs Ashraf Jahan on Tuesday allowed Port Qasim Authority to deposit the deferential amount of rupees 26 million for release of dredgers imported.
Earlier Masooda Siraj advocate, counsel for respondent Customs department submitted para wise comments in the Special Customs Reference Application .
The reference pertains to controversy regarding exemption of duties under SRO 567(1)/2006 dated 05-06-2006 and Sales Tax SRO no 55 (I) 2008 and Income tax under clause 21 of the Second Schedule to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 to applicant Port Qasim Authority. The Pakistan Customs, Karachi detained the dredger after PQA claimed the concession in duty, income tax and sales tax but disallowed by the Custom authorities. The respondent Customs department calculated total levy to the tune of rupees 929 million out of which applicant deposited rupees 899 million. The applicantlater agreed to deposit the remaining amount challenging the decision by custom authorities.
Today after receiving the para wise comments, ex Judge Shaiq Usmani counsel for applicant PQA expressed readiness to deposit the amount in dispute with the Nazir of SHC in the form of a bank guarantee which was allowed b ythe bench while putting of further proceedings rill Nov-03-2015.