April 3, 2002	Wednesday	Muharram 19,1423

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, April 2: Conflict between the Cantonment administration and the tehsil administration over setting up of a separate stand for flying coaches in the municipal limits has put the local police in a dilemma as the force cannot afford the displeasure of either side.

Sources said that the wagon stand in Cantonment area was allegedly run by a group of outsiders who were exploiting the transporters of Dera-Bannu route and were charging taxes beyond the fixed rates.

The matter was brought to the notice of the Station Commander who ordered removal of these elements and the Cantonment staff was deputed at the wagon stand.

However, this staff allegedly also got involved in the same practice and contrary to the fixed parking rate of Rs15 per wagon, forced the transporters to pay Rs30 with issuance of a receipt of Rs15.

Perturbed over this situation, the Shaheen Flying Coach Owners Association applied for a separate space within the municipal limits to set up a wagon stand.

The tehsil Nazim D.I.Khan approved their request and sanctioned a space against a sum of Rs7,000 per month at Bannu chowk.

The new stand was located just in front of the entrance to the old Cantonment wagon stand, and it allows coaches to pick maximum number of passengers as compared to those which start their journey from the old wagon stand.

The situation created another awkward situation and compelled the Station Commander to ask the SSP to remove the wagon stand of Shaheen Association. A team of local police accompanied by the Cantonment staff raided the wagon stand, deflated parked vehicles, beaten the drivers and got vacated the premises.

However, the forced evacuation of wagon stand has not only put the police into trouble but also created a conflict between the Cantonment and tehsil administration.

Commenting on the situation, tehsil Nazim Fatehullah Khan termed the action an intervention into the affairs of the local government.

He said jurisdiction of the Cantonment administration was limited to the Canton-ment area and it had no justification to evacuate a legally established wagon stand which was a fund-generating source for the municipal administration.

He said he would bring the matter to the information of NWFP governor to discourage such incidents in future.

Bond dealer looted: A prize bond dealer was deprived on Rs700,000 by six unidentified masked men early on Monday.

Six masked men, armed with pistols, entered the upper storey of Ideal Prize Bond Dealers in Commissionary Bazar on 5 am and took the amount at gunpoint. Prize dealer Niaz received punches on his face when he tried to resist.

No FIR has been lodged.