April 29, 2002	Monday	Safar 15, 1423

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SIALKOT, April 28: Impounding of public transport vehicles continued throughout the province on Sunday for referendum duty.

In some districts, hundreds of buses, wagons, trucks and mini-buses were impounded under the supervision of army personnel..

A large number of people, specially women, children and old, were waiting for the transport at all bus and wagon stands of Sialkot and Narowal districts.

Two old women and as many minor children fell unconscious while waiting for transport at the Sialkot general bus stand.

SHEIKHUPURA: Traffic in and around the district remained sparse on Sunday as police continue to impound vehicles to carry a maximum of people to referendum polls on April 30.

Commuters have expressed resentment over the situation. They blamed the government for creating travelling hardships.

Scores of commuters told this correspondent that the impounding of vehicles had upset their routine.

An elderly man, Fazal Din, grumbled he came to Sheikhupura from Miranpur village to condole the death of his relative on Saturday night. However, he said he had been roaming around waiting for a conveyance since morning to return home.

Women were also seen roaming around to pick up vehicles for hours long.

A retired government official said the government was losing its credibility in the eyes of the public. The administration should arrange its own conveyance for carrying people to the polling stations, he suggested.

FAISALABAD: Special teams comprising police and administration officials impounded hundreds of public transport vehicles in the city and suburban areas.

Police set up pickets on all inter-district and city routes and seized buses, wagons, trucks and mini-buses under the supervision of army personnel.

Scores of commuters were seen exchanging hot words with police and other government officials when they were asked to come out of the vehicles at the pickets.

The impounded vehicles have been parked at the Police Lines, Bohranwali grounds, Iqbal Stadium, outside government offices, traffic police sector offices, police stations and open spaces in the city and rural areas.

In the evening, the city and suburban areas wore a deserted look as no public transport was seen plying because most had either been impounded or parked by owners at safer places.

The transport vehicles are expected to remain off roads on Monday, causing problems for the commuters.

According to sources, impounded vehicles would be put at the disposal of elected representatives and leaders of political parties, supporting the referendum. They have been asked to bring maximum voters at the polling stations on April 30.

Sources said that the Nazim of each union council would be given two wagons and a bus for the purpose.

A large number of drivers and conductors told this correspondent that their vehicles had been impounded three times during the last 15 days in connection with referendum rallies of Pervez Musharraf in Faisalabad and other adjoining districts. They were not paid any charges and even they were forced to arrange fuel from their own pockets.

Millions of rupees were drawn from the treasury for payment to owners of impounded vehicles since the last month.

GUJRANWALA: More than 90 per cent public transport vehicles have been seized by district administration and police for referendum duty in violation of an agreement between the transporters and the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

According to reports, the RTA and the Transport Society Gujranwala (TSG) recently had reached an agreement that the transport vehicles, including TSG wagons, would not be seized if the transporters would carry the people to polling stations voluntarily on April 30.

But police set up pickets on all inter-city intersections and on G.T. Road and impounded hundreds of buses and wagons.

Commuters, specially women, children and elderly people, had to wait for hours to reach their destinations. They paid exorbitant fares to the drivers of trucks, tractor-trollies and motorcycle rickshaws.