KARACHI: A division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) on Tuesday ordered Pakistan Customs, R&D to act strictly in accordance with law and to adhere to an order passed by the court on 26-4-2017.

The bench comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan was hearing an application filed by Franklin Law Associates on behalf of their clients M/s FAS Enterprises which imported a consignment of watches and optical frames.

The consignment was cleared by the assessment collectorate but R&D department held the consignment on alleged ground of mis-declaration of value. The petitioner challenged the impugned detention of goods on ground that action taken by R&D was beyond their jurisdiction.

The bench then restrained Customs from passing final order but the respondents went on to prepare seizure memo and other actions followed which were questioned  in the application for urgent hearing today.

The bench allowing the urgency application in its order ordered respondents to “act strictly according to law” and not to take any coercive measures against the petitioner. The bench then fixed May 12 as next date of hearing.