PESHAWAR: The Model Customs Collectorate, Peshawar, has asked the police, excise and taxation departments to hand over all the impounded Non-Customs Paid (NCP) vehicles to the customs department in accordance with an order of the Supreme Court as no other department had the authority to keep such vehicles in custody.

Distributing copies of order of the Supreme Court among different departments here on Tuesday, an official of the customs collectorate said that local courts, including the high court, were also not authorised to allow these vehicles on basis of (superdari) to anyone as only the special judge customs had such powers.

The official said that copies of the apex court’s decision had been conveyed to all police officials, especially the IGP, DIGs, director general excise and taxation department, law secretary, administration secretary and home and tribal affairs departments to abide by the order of the court.

He said that excise and taxation department was bound to hand over the each NCP vehicle it impounded to the customs collectorate.

He said hundreds of NCP vehicles were in the custody of officials of different departments but after the apex court decision the issue had been resolved once for all.

The customs official said that every department should exercise powers within the legal framework to avoid complications.