March 8, 2006	Wednesday	Safar 7, 1427

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RAWALPINDI, March 7: A 36-hour strike by public transport operators was called off “temporarily” on Tuesday after a 15- member committee was formed to look into the ‘dispute’ between the new capital traffic police and the transporters.

The committee, led by deputy commissioner Islamabad Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, comprises SSP Sikandar Hayat, SSP Traffic Sultan Azam Temuri and 12 members from the transport federations. It will meet on Wednesday at the DC office Islamabad to resolve the issue.

A transport union leader, Haji Akhtar Awan, told Dawn that they called off the strike on Tuesday afternoon after the capital administration assured them that their problems would be solved.

“Our demands were infect our legal rights. The government should provide bus bays, proper roads and parking space, and then enforce the traffic law,” he said.

Meanwhile, SSP Traffic Azam Temuri said the police would not bend to the transporters, however their genuine complaints would be addressed, if there were any.

A sudden strike by public transport operators against “the strict enforcement of traffic laws” by the capital police caused great inconvenience to thousands of commuters in the twin cities on Monday. The strike also troubled a large number of students and office employees even on Tuesday.

The business activities in the twin cities remained low, while the taxi and pick-up van drivers took advantage of public problems and charged higher than normal.

Our Reporter Adds: Due to the absence of public transport, most of the people were seen hiring taxis and rickshaws on share- fare basis.

However, there was also a class of passengers who could not afford even this method.

“It is better for me to travel to Faizabad from Chandni Chowk on foot rather than giving Rs20 to a taxi driver,” Bahadar Zaman, 45, said after he refused to share a taxi with three other commuters for Rs20 each.

An official of Regional Transport Authority (RTA) told Dawn that during the two days strike, about 3,000 vans and mini-buses plying on different routes of Rawalpindi- Islamabad were kept off road.

The official said smooth public transport was a great relief to the poor and middle class people who were hit most by the strike.

“Unless the government becomes serious about launching new transport service, the wagon mafia would become stronger and the commuters continue to suffer,” he added.

To the dismay of the strike-hit passengers, the taxis and rickshaws drivers had doubled their fares, leaving the poor commuters with no option but to travel on foot.

One had to pay Rs100 to a taxi driver from Zero Point to Faizabad, while in normal days Rs50 are charged. “This is rare opportunity in our business and we have the right to charge people at will,” a taxi driver said.

Azhar Rashid, a schoolteacher, expressed the resolve to save money and buy a car to avoid the hassle of public transport.