Daily Times

HYDERABAD: The Sindh Minister for Works and Services, Imdad Pittafi has been allegedly collecting toll tax from illegal toll plaza installed near Makli, on national highway since last more than two months.

He has been collecting illegal tax from the vehicles passing through Makli graveyard route, diverted from main super highway due to ongoing construction work there. The Minister has been assisted by Hakim Jiskani, brother of SSP Thatta, Javed Jiskani and Tufail Palijo, the project Director of National Highway in this unlawful collection.

Hakim Jiskani had also posted Police constables and private guards at toll plaza to pressurize vehicle drivers, if any one dared to raise an objection. Due to construction work on Super Highway, the National Highway Authority had transferred its administration to the Sindh government. Sindh Minister, Imdad Pittafi availed of the opportunity and had started this odd business of illegal taxing. It was estimated that around Rs.1m to1and half millions

Money is being collected every day from Karachi bound vehicles and those are diverted from Thatta and Makli. It is believed that the Minister has made a fortune by collecting Rs.70m through without any lawful authority within two months of time. The Sindh Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah, while returning from Badin and passing from Thatta and Makli saw the toll plaza and had inquired from the Commissioner Hyderabad, Kazi Shahid Pervez about its validity as NHA had abolished the toll recovery. The Commissioner informed the CM that it was being collected on orders of Imdad Pittafi.

The Sindh CM at this point, had expressed his displeasure and even called Imdad Pittafi over mobile phone asking him the reason behind committing such an illegal act and had ordered Deputy Commissioner, Thatta to pull down the plaza. However, the fate of the Minster and the toll plaza was still not known.