KARACHI: A customs appellate bench of High Court of Sindh hearing a constitution petition filed by Deewan Motors and Quick Food Industries restrained Pakistan Custom officials from encashing security deposited with Nazir of the court while issuing notices to them for June 28.

The bench earlier heard, Khalid Javed Khan, counsel for petitioners who referred to an order passed by a Supreme Court bench which disposed of appeals filed by the Pakistan Customs challenging order of a division bench of SHC declaring imposition of Regulatory Duty as void.

The respondents were misinterpreting the order of the apex court, the counsel said impugning a letter dated 12-6-2018 issued by the Secretary Legal, Pakistan Customs addressed to Model Custom Collectorates of different zones to recover the amounts lying with the Nazir of SHC in view of newly inserted sub section into Section 221-A of the Customs Act 1969,

The bench has ordered that validation may be challenged and in such a case, such challenge will be decided independently, the counsel contended.

The bench after hearing initial arguments ordered respondents to file reply with copy in advance to the petitioner side while temporarily restraining them from encashing the security deposits.