PESHAWAR, July 8: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court put on notice on Tuesday the Peshawar Cantonment Board’s executive officer in a writ petition of cinema houses challenging the award of entertainment tax collection to a private contractor by the board.

The bench, comprising Justice Shehzad Akber Khan and Justice Ijaz Afzal, fixed July 10 for the next hearing.

The petition is filed on behalf of the owners of seven cinema houses situated in the jurisdiction of the Cantonment Board — Arshed, Aeena, Sabrina, Capital, Falaksher, Naz and Shama.

Advocate M.Sardar Khan and Barrister Asad Sikanderkhel has been representing the petitioner. They contended that the responsibility of tax collection could not be assigned to a private contractor.

The petitioners said the Cantonment Board awarded the contract to a private contractor on June 24. Notices were issued to the petitioners on June 26 in that regard, informing them that in future entertainment tax would be collected by the contractor.

They said a private contractor had no authority to enter the cinemas and decide tax matters. Under the law, they added, only the government officials or agency could collect taxes.

SHO SUMMONED: The Peshawar High Court has summoned the station house officer (SHO) of Samanabad police station, Lahore, and directed him to produce a woman and her stepson who have not been appearing before the court despite repeated notices.