KARACHI: An appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui on Thursday allowed provisional release of eleven consignments of textile fabric imported by Murtaza Textiles.
The bench earlier heard a counsel from Franklin Law Associates representing the petitioner company which maintains that consignments reached Karachi port in June this year. They were stuck up as the Sales Tax Registration (STRN) was suspended by the Sales Tax Department. The order of suspension was challenged in an appeal before the Collector Appeals who restored the STRN converting or modifying the status of the petitioner from “Manufacturer” to “Commercial Importer” depriving the petitioner of benefit of SRO 1125 (allowed to manufacturers). The Sales Tax authorities visited the factory of the petitioner which was found in existence and hence the modification of status was incomprehensible, contended the lawyer from Franklin Law Associates.
The counsel for petitioner company today submitted that petitioner is ready to secure the differential amount with the collectorate concerned and will apply for refund of the same if the appeal preferred by him against change of status is decided by the appellate authority. The bench allowing the request while adjourning the further hearing for two weeks ordered the custom authorities to release the consignments on securing differential amount while also issue delay detention and certificate for waiver of demurrage.