KARACHI: Hearing an application for urgent hearing filed by the Pakistan Customs department, a division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhtarand Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed reserved order after detailed arguments by both the sides.

Ilyas Ahsan, Principal Appraiser Law, Pakistan Customs, Masooda Siraj advocate assisted by Sardar Zafar Hussain advocate moved the application on ground that a huge sum of rupees 942.11 million is stuck up due to this litigation filed by Luck Cement.

The counsel for respondent MCC West raising the issue of in-ordinate delay said that initial restraining order was passed in 1995 and since then government due are payable by the petitioner. He requested the court to hear and decide the same as early as possible. The bench allowing the request asked the counsel to submit their arguments.

The Principal Appraiser Law maintained that  no exemption was available to the petitioner side.

Barrister Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for petitioner submitted that petition was filed under Article 199 read with section 196(7) and 194 (B). He maintained that stay granted by the court  ceased to effect after 6 months.

FBR unilaterally withdrew the letter of exemption issued in two detention matter dated 30-4-1995 and 25-4-1995, the counsel submitted asking the court to declare the demand raised by Customs as illegal.

The bench after hearing the arguments in detail reserved the judgment to be announced on a later date.