PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday sought explanation from the defence ministry and Pakistan Air Force`s Peshawar base commander on a contempt of court petition filed by a company engaged in the Bacha Khan International Airport ground handling services insisting that the two violated a stay orderissuedinitsfavour.

Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Lal Jan Khattak directed the defence secretary and PAF base commander to explain their respective points of view over the allegations made by Gerry`s Danata Limited, a joint venture company having foreign investment of the Emirates Group.

Ali Gohar Durrani, lawyer for the petitioner, said his client was engaged in airport ground handling service of variousairlines, had offices in Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta and Multan and had good reputation in its field.

He said in March 2017, licence of the petitioner was renewed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and in pursuance of the said licence the petitioner company carried out its business among other places at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA), Peshawar.

He said on July 5, a letter was addressed by the PAF`s Base Commander to the Airport Security Force, whereby the movement of the petitioner`s vehicles and ground handling equipment was directed to be restricted on the grounds of security reasons.

He said the said letter was challenged before the high court through a writ petition and along with main petition interim relief was also prayed for from the court.

The counsel stated that a bench of thehigh court on Jul 19 after giving notice to the ministry of defence and Airport security Force and after hearing arguments adjourned the hearing to Aug 10.

He added that the bench also directed that until the next date the directives issued by the base commander through the impugned letter should remain suspended.

The counsel contended that despite having the knowledge of the said directives, the respondents including the ministry of defence and the PAF base commander did not comply with it.

He added that the petitioner also addressed letters to the airport manager, chief security officer of ASF and the base commander PAF and requested compliance of the said order of the court, but they did not implement the same.

He said the whole controversy surrounded the fact that Shaheen Airport Services Limited, which was subsidiary of PAF, did not want the petitioner to haveclientage that the petitioner had.

He alleged that the said company had influenced the CAA across the country at all airports for the sole reason of getting the petitioner company out of competition without any lawful authority.

Meanwhile, the respondents including the PAF base commander also filed an application requesting the court to withdraw the stay order issued on July 19.

Advocate Aamir Jawed appeared for the PAF`s base commander and contended that the movement of the petitioner company vehicles was restricted due to security reasons as military operations were in progress in different areas.

He requested the court to withdraw its order keeping in view the security situation.

The bench fixed Aug 16 for next hearing into the matter and directed the petitioner to respond to the application of the respondents.