Daily Times

The provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution seeking immediate notice of substantial overcharging from tourists by hotels owners in Murree, Galyat, Northern Areas and other recreation places and selling edible items on inflated rates during a recent snowfall. The concerned department should be directed to take stern action against profiteers and hotel mafia and bound them to run their business in accordance with the relevant laws in future. The resolution was moved by Inayat Ullah Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami with the Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani in the chair.

The resolution stated that 22 tourists died due to snowfall in Murree and Galyat which was highlighted on local and international media but unfortunately the hotel owners were charging hefty amount ranging from Rs30,000 to Rs50,000 per room per night from the already stranded tourists and reportedly sold an egg at Rs500 during the critical situation.

It said that the ATMs were not working in the affected areas due to broke down communication system and stranded tourists were forced to withhold their precious items including ornaments and documents of their vehicle with hotel managements as security. Earlier, Nighat Orakzai of PPP, Sardar Aurengzeb Nalota of PMLN and Inayat Ullah Khan of JI on their points of orders strongly condemned substantial increase in rents by hotel managements in Murree during the recent calamity and demanded lodging of FIR against them and judicial inquiry. The Speaker Mushtaq Ahamd Ghani directed them to bring a joint resolution over the incident. While responding to opposition members, Minister for Higher Education Kamran Khan Bangash said that people should show unity in such critical times and help each other to avoid precious lives.

He appreciated the rescue and relief departments including Rescue-1122 and Pakistan Army for rescuing thousands of stranded people in Murree, Galyat and from other tourists’ resorts. Kamran Bangash while the responding to questions raised by opposition over easy availability of drugs and narcotics in the society said anti narcotics force taking actions against drugs mafia and had established drugs and narcotics control wing in this regard. He said that awareness sessions are also being conducted at colleges and universities against drug abuse. Responding to an adjournment motion of Mir Kalam Wazir and Nighat Orakzai over corruption of Rs43 billion in merged districts, Bangash said that it was federal matter and the KP government had sent three letters to ministry of State and Frontier Region (SAFRON) to share the information with KP government in this regard. Parliamentary Leader of ANP Sardar Hussain Babak, Nisar Ahmad Mohmand of ANP also spoke on the adjournment motion and demanded of the government to take action and probe the matter.

The House also unanimously passed a resolution moved by Naeema Kishwar of JUIF, in which the assembly recommended the federal government to provide due share of gas to the province as per the constitution so that the province could meet the demand of gas and overcome the suspension of gas supply to CNG stations. Mufti Obaid Rehman of PTI moved a resolution praising services of Tablighi Jamaat, a religious organisation working for promotion of Islamic values across the globe. The resolution said that the organization has no link with any terrorist organization.

Later, the Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani adjourned the assembly proceeding till Friday 10a.m.