December 17, 2001	Monday	Shawwal 1, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Dec 16: Despite cut in prices of oil and diesel, the public transporters are still charging high fares in Dera Ismail Khan.

A number of complaints made to the local transport secretary by commuters about the highhandedness of the transporters seem to have fallen on deaf ears, as no action has been taken to redress the public grievance.

The commuters are being charged high bus fares irrespective of the distance and nature of roads. Passengers on Dera-Peshawar Road have to pay Rs130 for a distance of 267km, while on Dera-Lahore and Dera-Multan roads they are charged Rs100 and Rs120 for distances of 411 and 303km, respectively.

Moreover, the transporters are also charging high fares for air-conditioned buses though winter has set in and air-conditioners remain off.

It has also been observed that whenever POL prices go up, fares are increased, but when the prices fall, transporters do not reduce fares.

A number of commuters have demanded that the government intervene in the matter and ensure that the fares are decreased immediately.

KILLED: A young girl, Qamrey Bibi, was crushed to death by an overspeeding jeep at Dera-Multan road, on Friday evening. She was coming back home with her father and brother.

Bazak Khan, an Afghan refugee, residing at Kiri Juma Khan, was reportedly coming back to his house with his son, Tariq Khan, and daughter, Qamrey Bibi, when an overspeeding jeep, with no number plates, hit the young girl. She later succumbed to her injuries.