KARACHI: A divisional bench of High Court of Sindh on Tuesday ordered release of a consignment of Galvanised Flexible Steel Pipes of assorted sizes imported from India by Ahmed Traders, on payment of custom duties, taxes, fine and penalty.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Zulfiqar Ahmed Khan earlier heard Waseem Shaikh advocate, counsel for petitioner who said that dispute is allegedly of mis-declaration of declared value and assessed value. He said that petitioner has paid duty and taxes to the tune of rupees 401409.

Kashif Nazeer Advocate, counsel for respondent Pakistan Customs told the bench that a show cause notice for violation of section 32 of Customs Act 1969 has been issued and served upon the petitioner. However if the petitioner is ready to pay duties, taxes, fine and penalty then department has no objection to the release of the consignment, he submitted.

The bench after this statement by the counsel for Pakistan Customs disposed of the petition allowing release of the consignment ordering the petitioner to deposit postdated cheques which could not be en-cashed at-least 15 days after Order in Original is passed.

The same bench passed identical order in another petition filed by ICI Pakistan which imported Polymeric MDI which carries a duty at a rate of 25 per cent but attempted to get it cleared at zero rate by declaring it to be Diphenyl methane Diisocyanate (MDI). Khalid Javed Khan advocate represented the petitioner ICI.