KARACHI: A divisional bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Justice Abdul Malik Gaadi admitting nine identical Special Custom Reference Applications (SCRA) filed by National Logisitic Cell (NLC) against a common show cause notice alleging pilferage of Afghan Transit Cargo, ordered tagging the same with over 900 identical petitions.
Earlier Baqir Ali Naqvi advocate appearing for the petitioner/applicant submitted that about 987 identical references are fixed for hearing on Sept 26. He requested for hearing of these SCRAs on the same date.
The bench allowed the request. According to the details, NLC raised the issue of responsibility of NLC custom bonded carrier and requests the court to decide that whether its responsibility extend beyond borders of Pakistan or ends at the designated/ notified exit/entry points of Chaman and Torkham. NLC maintains that at Port, the containers are examined/checked and sealed by the Custom authorities for onward transportation to the destination. In the instant cases, the consignments were cleared from the Port Qasim Karachi and were destined for Afghanistan. Later on verification, information and data provided by the Afghan government consignments did not cross into their country. It was alleged that the consignments were pilfered/ mis-appropriated/smuggled into Pakistan in league with importers and border clearing agents. NLC officials were also accused of facilitating the smuggling and local consumption of these goods causing huge loss of revenue.