Daily Times

MANSEHRA: Transporters observed a wheel-jam strike following the traffic police crackdown against overcharging passengers on Thursday.

The passenger wagons remained off road causing inconvenience to commuters. The passengers were compelled to use other means of transportation to reach their distinctions and also hired cabs at high fares.

The transporters suspended services from Mansehra to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Haripur, Balakot, Oghi and other parts of Hazara division.

“We increased the fares after Rs six per kilogram raise in the prices of compressed natural gas during the last couple of weeks,” Jan Alam, president of the wagons owners association in Hazara told reporters at a press conference.

He said they approached the Secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to increase fares in accordance with the increase in the gas prices, but he demurred, saying RTA didn’t receive any letter from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).

Jan Alam said that the transporters were left with no other option but to go on a wheel jam strike after traffic wardens started issuing tickets to transporters.

“We have no other option but to raise fares after the increase in fuel prices,” Pervez Khan Swati, General Secretary of wagon owners association told reporters.

Jamal Zeb, the head of traffic police, told reporters that when transporters charge fares more than the rate list, the wardens are duty bound to issue them tickets. He said that the police had also arranged alternative transport for commuters and they succeeded in providing relief to them.

“We have also taken up the issue of increase in fares with RTA and pleaded them to settle the issue with the transporters,” said Jamal Zeb.

He admitted that CNG prices were increased two times by the local CNG stations.

28 gamblers: The police arrested 28 gamblers in raids on different areas and seized a huge sum of stake money from them here on Thursday.

The police arrested 10 gamblers in the mountainous area of Topi tehsil and 13 others along the Indus River in the limits of Zaida Police Station.

Similarly, five gamblers were also arrested in the limits of Tordher Police Station. Separate cases have been registered against them and the police have started investigations.

PML-N delegation: A representative the 46-member delegation of the PML-N from Upper and Lower Dir called on the Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Engr Iqbal Zafar Jhagra here at the Governor’s House, on Thursday. The delegation was headed by Provincial Vice President PML-N, Farid Yousafzai.

The delegation apprised the governor about various problems of the people of their area and also gave suggestions. The governor assured the delegation of his full cooperation and support.