KARACHI: A constitutional bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry and Justice Muhammad Jafar Raza restrained the Collector Customs (Appraisement) East from enchasing securities deposited by importers of Iron and Non Alloy Steel Sheets/Coils coated with alloy of Aluminum.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Mushtaq Iron & Steel Traders, Lahore, Master Pipe Industries and nine others represented by Adeel Awan Advocate. The respondents were represented by Sardar Zafar Hussain Advocate.
The controversy relates to assessment of imported goods as Assessing Officer dis-agreed with the classification of goods made by the petitioners in relevant Goods Declarations (GDs) after which the matter was referred to the Classification Committee which recently issued a Ruling vide Public Notice No 14/2025 dated 25-9-2025 classifying the subject goods. Such classification is contrary to past practice and to the detriment of the Petitioners. The court noted that petitioner have filed an appeal before FBR challenging the Ruling.
The petitioners contended that Customs is likely to finalize the assessment as per impunged ruling and may proceed to encash the securities deposited earlier by the Petitioners for provisional release of subject goods.
The bench in view of such position restrained the Collector of Customs (Appraisement) East from en-cashing the securities as stated in a statement given by the petitioners. The bench further ordered that in the event a stay order is passed on the appeal by the FBR before the next date of hearing order of SHC will cease to have effect.