KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed customs officials to file their respective para wise comments on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Otsuka Pakistan Limited against imposition of 20 percent regularity duty on consignments of nutrition food products, protein gold vanilla flavor etc. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the matter.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated that petitioner is lawful importer and always fulfills all the liabilities according to law. He submitted that petitioner is dissatisfied with the unlawful imposition of regularity duty on two items namely nutrition food products, protein gold vanilla flavor having 60,000 sachets in 500 cartons and protein gold vanilla flavor having 15,000 sachets in 125 cartons from Indonesia. The duty was imposed on October 16, 2017.
Counsel argued that officials of the customs department imposed regularity duty of 20 percent import for Surabaya Indonesia and Egypt and others related products being imported by the petitioner.
Citing Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Secretary Revenue Division, Collector of Customs Collectorate of Appraisement East, Collector of Customs Collectorate of Appraisement West and other as respondents, he pleaded the court to declare the act of the respondents as illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He also pleaded the court to set aside impugned imposition of regularity duty on said goods, directed them to release the consignment of the petitioner and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final order in this petition.