KARACHI: An appellate bench of High Court of Sindh on Tuesday fixed August 08 for hearing three identical petitions pertaining to alleged betel nuts smuggling case.
The petitions were filed by Salahuddin, Fazal Muhammad and Muhammad Tahir seeking release of passenger coaches/buses impounded after recovery of betel nuts packed in gunny bags and recovered from luggage compartments.
The first petition filed by Salahuddin through counsel Ms Dil Khurram Shaheen advocate, Asif Marghob Siddiqui, Collector Custom, Adjudication I passing an interim order, allowed release of the impounded bus bearing registration number BSA 407 against payment of a fine at the rate of 20 per cent according to section 157 (2) of the Customs Act 1969.
The order was not implemented after which instant petition was filed.
In second petition filed by Fazal Muhammad, Additional Collector Adjudication (I) Nawabzadi Aliya Khanjee allowed an appeal and ordered release of Al Mehmood Coach bearing registration number BSA 656 after betel nuts filled bags were recovered.
In third identical petition, the petitioner Muhammad Tahir sought release of bus BSP 494 used for smuggling betel nuts to Karachi.
Today Khalid Rajpar advocate appeared for the respondent department. He also informed the bench that an appeal has been filed against interim order of release passed by the appellate authorities.
The counsel for petitioners, Ms Dil Khurram Shaheen advocate contested and submitted that no appeal lies against interim order while ONO is awaited.
She also drew the attention of the court to an application she has filed before the Collector Customs, Preventive seeking implementation of the interim order.
The bench deferring further proceedings till Aug 08 also ordered Collector Customs, Preventive to ‘consider’ the said application.