KARACHI: A customs appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) on Monday hearing a constitution petition filed by Liberty Mills Private Limited allowed provisional release of chemical used for dying of fabric against deposition of indemnity bond.
According to petitioner they are importing chemical for making pigment used as coloring, dying agent since 2017. The importer is availing concessions under SRO 326 of 2008 which makes the imported item zero rated (custom duty, taxes) consumed by manufacturing unit. A counsel from Franklin Law Associates representing the petitioner mills submitted that in Oct 2018, Pakistan and China entered into a trade agreement under which Yuan became the currency for all types of trade between the two countries. The petitioner imported a consignment weighing 13000 kilograms and a LC was opended. However due to a typographical error the commercial invoice instead of Yuan, contained US Dollar as currency. The petitioner sought a correction as well as clarification from the exporter/shipper which was duly submitted before the custom authorities but the same was declined. In the meantime second consignment of 13000 kilogram arrived as was cleared by the custom authorities.
Today the counsel for petitioner prayed to the court to allow provisional release of the chemical as it is of perishable nature. He volunteered to submit securities to the satisfaction of the custom authorities till the controversy is finally decided.
The benc allowed the request and deferred further proceeding till May 02.