KARACHI: Taking notice of remarks against a custom official of Hyderabad collectorate by counsel for the department, a Customs appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Omar Sial said that court is more concerned about implementation of Order in Original (ONO) passed by the department itself that conduct of any officer.
If an officer is corrupt or defies lawful orders by judicial forums or hierarchy of Pakistan Customs, it is for the department to take action as per service rules, the bench observed while hearing a constitutional petition filed by one Gul Feroz, owner of a dumper truck.
Earlier Ms Dil Khurram Shaheen advocate, counsel for petitioner earlier seeking implementation of ONO by the Collector Adjudication said that despite ONO in favour of her client, the collectorate is refusing release of the vehicle, the only source of income of the petitioner.
The counsel for Hyderabad Collectorate said that officer concerned is not implementing the order for unknown reason, hinting at disapproved conduct of the said officer.
The bench took strict exception and said if attitude of an officer is “un-becoming” department is supposed to take action as per service laws but non-implementation of judicial forums cannot be defended on ground of conduct of an officer.
The bench later put off hearing till Oct 27 directing the counsel for the respondent collectorate to reply that why ONO was not implemented and also to find out that whether any appeal has been filed before Special Customs Appellate Tribunal against the ONO.