RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has removed regulatory duty on the import of different products and gave one-month’s time to the government for appeal against the ruling.

The SHC also placed its decision under suspension until the apex court gives any ruling against the verdict.

There are as many as 731 different items subjected to RD and are being imported under the non-essential category. However, A two-member bench headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Omar Sial removed the duty and asked the FBR to refund the amount collected after the notification.

The court ordered the authorities to release security deposits given by petitioners under interim orders forthwith.

“Any sums paid by the petitioners by way of regulatory duty under or in terms of SRO 1035 must be refunded in full. Such refund may be made by way of direct repayment or adjustment (against any tax or duty) and in one lump-sum or in installment, as the FBR may determine,” the court order reads.

It further ordered that refund should be settled before October 31.

“The respondents or any authority or officers thereof restrained from demanding any duty in terms of SRO 1035 or from enforcing the same in any manner whatsoever, whether by way of detaining or refusing release of imported goods,” the court said.

In October last year, regulatory duty was imposed by federal government by means of notification SRO 1035(I)/2017. The RD was imposed on a wide range of imports. The importers of such goods had filed petitions against the levy of RD.