FAISALABAD, June 5: Scores of villagers of Millat Road, Pansera and Narwala areas staged a protest demonstration in front of the local press club against the imposition of toll on three farm-to-market roads here on Monday.

Protesters carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands marched through various city roads.

The villagers claimed that the district government had imposed tax on various roads about a couple of years ago but withdrew it later from major city roads after a strong protest by citizens. However, the City District Government Faisalabad failed to withdraw the tax from Pansera Road, Narwala Road and Millat Road.

They claimed that the local government was fetching only Rs7.7 million from contracts of these roads while the contractors were collecting over Rs50 million which showed the tax was profitable for the contractors instead of the people or the government.

They threatened to block the major roads leading towards the city from their villages if the toll was not withdrawn within the next few days.

Later, the protesters also held a meeting with District Nazim Rana Zahid Tauseef who assured them to look into the matter.