PESHAWAR, July 31: A local court on Thursday put on notice the Peshawar cantonment executive officer in a contempt of court petition filed by a leading advertiser here on Thursday.

The court of civil judge cum judicial magistrate, Nisar Muhammad Khan, directed the executive officer, Mohammad Shafi, to clarify his position regarding alleged violation of a court’s order.

The advertiser, Apollo Advertisers, has filed a declaratory suit challenging an order of the executive officer whereby 57 sites rented out to the plaintiff for display of mopies (small hoarding) on road dividers were advertised for auction.

The plaintiff claimed that he had paid a sum of Rs1.5 million to the Cantonment Board’s contractor, Rocco Advertiser, as site rent for 57 mopies for the period going to expire on Dec 31, 2008.

He stated that the respondent, executive officer, published an advertisement in local newspapers on July 24 whereby he announced that auction for allotting the said sites would take place on July 29.

The plaintiff challenged that advertisement stating that he was allotted the said sites till Dec 31 and prior to that it these spots could not be auctioned.

He prayed that the order of the executive officer should be declared illegal.

Advocate Saleem Shah Hoti appeared for the plaintiff and contended that the court on last hearing on July 26 had ordered maintenance of status quo in the issue.

He added that although, the respondent did not hold auction as per the advertisement on July 29, but had published another advertisement on Thursday through which it was announced that the said auction would now take place on Aug 3.

Mr Hoti contended that the respondent had committed blatant contempt of the court by violating the court’s order.

He added that executive officer was liable to be prosecuted for committing contempt of the court.

After preliminary arguments the presiding officer decided to issue notice to the executive officer directing him to clarify his position.