KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has ordered Customs Department to release a consignment of toilet soap after payment of differential amount between declared value and Valuation Ruling VR 863/2016.
A SHC appellate bench, comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, issued directive while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Red Eye Business Enterprises.
The counsel; for the petitioner appearing before the bench submitted that at the time of import, the customs value was US $ 66 cents but once the consignment reached Karachi Port, Director Customs passing an order in revision fixed the custom value at 92 US cents. The enhancement in custom value was ordered by Director General who has no powers to do so in view of bar under section 25 of Customs Act 1969, counsel Ghulamullah Shaikh contended.
The bench after detailed hearing while suspending the impugned Order in Revision, directed the respondents to release the consignment once differential amount between declared value and value under VR 863/2016 is deposited with the Nazir of SHC.