KARACHI: LED lights are not being manufactured locally, confirms a letter by Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) submitted before a Customs Appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) here on Friday.

The bench was seized with the hearing of dozens of petition filed by importers of LED lights who maintained that imports of LED items do not attract Custom Duty, Sales Tax or Income Tax and hence their detention and levy of taxes, duties under a CGO dated April 19, 2017 is unlawful. The petitioners represented by Franklin Law Associates prayed to the court to order respondents to delete the entry in CGO pertaining to LED import.

As the legal position changed after letter by the AEDB, the counsel for respective sides sought time at which the bench put of further hearing till Dec 06. Till then as per interim arrangement, consignments will be released on payment of security before Collector Customs equal to custom duty, sales tax assessed.