KARACHI: Sharjeel Jamal, a local custom clearing agent was admitted to interim pre-arrest bail in two FIRs No. 18/2016 and No.19/2016 against a solvent surety of Rs0.2 million each here on Tuesday.
Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro earlier heard the counsel for applicant who maintained that Pakistan Customs, Appraisement, East lodged two more FIRs against him on April 07 in a single case/offence.
The applicant alleges harassment to him by Custom Officers based on enmity evoked due to his complaints regarding NATO container case.
The counsel for applicant submitted that his client was being booked in one case after another based on false and concocted evidence.
The bench after preliminary hearing granted him interim bail against a solvent surety of Rs200,000 each in each FIR.
Talking to customnews.pk, Sharjeel Jamal alleged that he was wrongfully implicated in the case in order to hurt his financial position.
He said the fabric was not Indian as no mark, or symbol was on the fabric, which could prove it to be made in India. He said Indian made fabric was banned to be imported in Pakistan but fabric made in any other country could be imported from India.
He said the case should have been referred before the Customs Adjudication, but the Customs lodged FIRs without bringing the case before Customs Adjudication. Now, he would not be able to represent himself before the Adjudication.
Sharjeel Jamal said that 90 percent of the fabric coming from UAE was made in India and the same was being cleared by Customs and added that all his consignments were cleared after complete examination without any FTA benefit.
Customs officials are of the view that this was the biggest fraud in the history of Pakistan Customs. Moreover, Customs had evidence proving the imported fabric to be made in India, which would be presented during the course.
Imported banned goods are confiscated and FIR is not lodged, but all the FIRs lodged in the case were of fraud and mis-declaring the port of origin.