Constitutional court raises safety concerns over hydrocarbon-laden tankers held in customs custody for three years.
KARACHI: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday directed authorities to conduct laboratory testing of oil tankers carrying hydrocarbons imported from Iran within 15 days, expressing serious concern over the prolonged detention of the vehicles in customs custody.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi heard the case relating to the seized Iranian oil consignment.
During the proceedings, the court observed that the tankers had remained parked in customs custody for nearly three years despite carrying flammable material, posing significant safety and environmental risks.
Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi remarked that the prolonged detention of oil-laden vehicles was an extremely dangerous practice. He warned that even a minor incident, such as someone lighting a cigarette near the tankers, could trigger a major fire, raising serious questions regarding responsibility and accountability.
The court also noted that keeping the tankers immobilised for years may have adversely affected the livelihoods of their drivers, depriving them of employment opportunities.
Counsel representing the customs authorities, Wasim Sajjad, argued before the court that the tankers had been involved in smuggling petrol from Iran into Pakistan.
However, legal counsel appearing for the importers disputed this claim, maintaining that the cargo consisted of light aliphatic hydrocarbons rather than Iranian petrol.
During the hearing, Justice Rozi Khan observed that hydrocarbons constitute a major commercial sector and noted that various chemicals can be blended with hydrocarbons to produce petrol.
To ascertain the exact nature of the imported material, the Federal Constitutional Court ordered that samples from the seized tankers be sent for laboratory examination within 15 days.
The court further ruled that if the laboratory findings support the importers’ position regarding the composition of the cargo, the tankers should be released upon furnishing appropriate security.
Additionally, the FCC directed the relevant adjudicating forum to decide the matter conclusively within 30 days following the completion of the laboratory testing process.
The case highlights the legal and regulatory challenges surrounding the handling of imported petroleum products and underscores the court’s concern over prolonged detention of potentially hazardous materials in customs custody.
