KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs officials to make sure to issue delay detention certificate to the petitioner within 2 days, otherwise court will frame charges under contempt application on a petition filed by M/s Sahara Public Rights Welfare seeking release of five containers comprising used shoes, cloths etc from arrived from UAE.
On May 21, 2019, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing the contempt application against some customs officials.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that on April 17, 2019, this court had ordered the consignment may be released immediately and the compliance report may be submitted two days before MIT but respondents are neglecting the compliance and they deliberately neglected complying the order of this court, therefore, court may be pleased to pass strict action against the alleged contemnors for the misconduct.
During the hearing, alleged contemnors appeared before the court and informed that ‘hold’ has been removed from petitioner’s goods and delay detention certificate will be issued within 2 days.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated in his constitutional petition that their organization has been striving to serve the sick, the old, the disabled and also children and exempted from any duty and taxes. Previously the petitioner has received about 69 containers from different countries on account of donations and were released by the respondents as per exemption granted by the competent authority in this regard.
He further informed the court that on 11 August 2018, five containers arrived at Karachi Port from M/s Shipper Al-Muhtaram General Trading UAE containing different relief items in respect of donation for petitioner and approached customs officials for seeking release his consignments, however, they denied the same and held all the goods without lawful authority.