Imported goods: ‘Officials can’t break duty assessment rules’

LHC observed that customs official in Lahore lacked jurisdiction in the matter

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Monday barred custom officials in Lahore from evaluating customs duty on imported goods allegedly in violation of the evaluation criteria determined by the federal government.

The court observed that customs official in Lahore lacked jurisdiction in the matter. It said the federal government was authorised to determine the criteria for evaluation of the duty. It expressed serious concerns over misuse of authority by the customs collector and other officials of the department concerned.

The directive was issued in an appeal filed by Zain Enterprises. Petitioner had submitted through its counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka that they were paying thrice the customs duty they were required to pay on imported goods under the law.

He said the customs collector was evaluating the duty on the basis of the master airway bill (a transport document issued by the air cargo carrier). He said that this was a violation of rules that allowed evaluation only on the basis of a house airway bill (a transport document which is issued by a freight forwarder).

The court barred the custom collector and the custom intelligence inspector general from taking any action against the importers till a decision was reached in the matter by the valuation director general within a month from the date of receipt of court order.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2016.