KARACHI: Hearing a number of identical petitions pertaining to release of vintage cars against fixed custom duty of US $ 5000, a customs appellate bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) sought comments from Ministry of Commerce.
Adnan Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddqui advocate appeared for one of the petitioners and said government has extended the facility of fixed custom duty and taxes at a rate of US $ 5000 per unit but custom authorities are not honoring the SRO in this regard.
Shahab Imam advocate representing the department said that issue of importability is to be addressed at first. He disputed the judgment relied upon by the petitioners and said judgment referred to by petitioners makes no reference to exemption from “importability”. As per import policy vehicles more than three years old cannot be imported into the country.
He prayed to the court to declare the judgment “per inquarium” at which the bench said that it was also passed by a division bench and hence the same could be referred to the Chief Justice for constituting a larger bench.
The bench however after hearing more arguments sought comments from the Ministry of Commerce regarding importability while adjourning further proceedings indefinitely.