Supreme Court Accepts Customs Petition For Hearing Against Sindh High Court Verdict

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 29, 2020 | 08:47 PM

The Supreme Court Wednesday accepted the Customs department petition for hearing against a Sindh High Court verdict regarding export of sugar to Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2020 ) :The Supreme Court Wednesday accepted the Customs department petition for hearing against a Sindh High Court verdict regarding export of sugar to Afghanistan.

A three-member bench of the court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the case regarding stoppage of sugar export to Afghanistan.

During the course of proceedings, the court stayed the SHC verdict regarding return of confiscated sugar.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked under which law the Customs officials stopped the sugar containers. He asked under what law can the customs check the quality of the goods being exported? The counsel for the Customs said that the sugar sent to Afghanistan was sub standard. He said that the rules of the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement gave customs authority for inspection of goods. Hazardous health items could also be seized after inspection, he added.

The counsel said that Customs had the authority to check the standard of goods.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that in prima-facie, Customs could see cross-border issues.

Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel asked were such agreements be made with neighboring countries only? The counsel said that there were different agreements with each country.

The counsel for the importer said that 354 sugar containers were imported from India which were exported to Afghanistan.

He said that the Customs department passed 98 containers without any objection while it stopped 262 containers.

Justice Mazhar Alam asked what was the Customs concern as the sugar was exported to Afghanistan from India via Pakistan.

The court said that prima-facie the Customs had the authority to inspect goods sent abroad.

The court observed that the Customs officials stopped sugar containers due to sub standard sugar.

The court suspended the Sindh High Court verdict and accepted the petition for hearing.

Later, hearing of the case was adjourned till February 13.

The Sindh High Court had directed the Customs department to return confiscated sugar containers in 15 days.