QUETTA: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has directed the federal interior ministry and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman to convene a meeting with all stakeholders, including relevant officials, importers, exporters and chamber of commerce representatives, to resolve ongoing issues within a week. A report is to be submitted at the next hearing.
The bench — consisting of Justice Abdullah Baloch and Justice Iqbal Ahmed Kasi — issued the instructions during the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by the All Pakistan Dry Fruit Importers and Exporters Association, which argued that despite paying all duties and taxes, trucks loaded with dry fruit were being stopped by customs at various checkpoints.
The court also issued a show-cause notice to the director of Customs Intelligence for failing to appear during the hearing. The judges remarked that there seemed to be a consensus among Balochistan’s importers and exporters regarding these challenges.
Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024
