March 5, 2002	Tuesday	Zilhaj 20, 1422

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GUJRANWALA, March 4: Transporters on Monday blocked roads for hours in protest against the imposition of toll tax by the Gujranwala Sadar tehsil council.

They claimed that the contractor and his men manhandled some transporters when they refused to pay toll tax within tehsil city council jurisdiction.

They alleged that the contractor was receiving Rs10 per vehicle per trip while the tehsil city council was already receiving Rs25 per vehicle toll tax within its jurisdiction.

They demanded that toll tax imposed by Sadar tehsil council should be taken back. The threatened that they would continue their strike if the tax was not withdrawn.

When contacted, Sadar tehsil council administration confirmed that toll tax contract was auctioned which was being collected within tehsil council jurisdiction.

City tehsil council Nazim Babu Javed Ahmad visited Sheikhupura Road Chowk and other places where the contractor had set up toll tax collection camp inside the city tehsil council jurisdiction. He expressed dismay over the collection of toll tax within city tehsil council limits and assured the transporters that he would urge the Sadar tehsil council Nazim to withdraw the tax.

SIX COPS ARRESTED: Six policemen, including an ASI and Moharar of Sadar police station were arrested on Monday on the orders of SSP following the escape of five murder accused.

Ladheywala Warriach police shifted accused Amjad, Mohsin Abbas, Anwar, Saqlain Abbas and Ghulam Mustafa to Sadar police station a few days ago. Constables Azam Javed, Allah Ditta and Muhammad Ayub were deployed there as guard.

On Saturday, they escaped from the lock-up after throwing red chili powder in the eyes of constables. The three constables were arrested on the SSP’s orders the same day.

ASI Nawaz, Moharar Ghulam Sarwar and constables Ghulam Farid, Abdul Aziz, Akhtar and Nasir Ahmad were arrested later on the charges of inefficiency.

Two women, Sharifan and Nasim, were arrested on the charge of providing chilies to the accused in the lock-up during their meeting. Police arrested accused Amjad and Mohsin Abbas the same day while the other three are still at large.