KARACHI: A full bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) comprising Justice Umar Ata Bindyal, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Faisal Arab granted a leave to appeal filed by officers of Pakistan Customs Quetta including Chaudhry Zulfiqar, Dr Iftikhar, and Mr Raza against an order passed by High Court of Balochistan.
The controversy pertains to duty and taxes over steel bars imported from Iran and one inch thick. The importers claimed PCT heading 7204.4910 (scrap iron) while customs was assessing the same under PCT 7214.2090 (prime quality steel).
The BHC ruled in favor of the importers and also issued contempt notices for non-compliance of orders. Raja Muhammad Iqbal, Senior advocate, Supreme Court (ASC) appearing for the appellate custom authorities argued the case at length. He also submitted that imported steel was at low price badly affecting the local steel re-rolling mills due to price difference. The local industry is being badly hurt, he submitted.
The bench after detailed hearing granting the leave to appeal ordered issuance of notices to the respondents (importer companies). The court also passed interim orders under which the consignments under import could be released as per PCT assessed by the custom authorities.