May 11, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1428

MIANWALI, May 10: Impounding of public transport started here two days ahead of the ruling party’s rally in Islamabad. More than three dozen buses were herded to the local stadium by traffic police aided by revenue staff on Thursday.

Officials of the Regional Transport Authority and traffic inspector remained on the roads throughout the day.

Since most of the local transporters did not bring their vehicles on roads, the police targeted inter-city buses without caring about the passengers. In one case, which was also painful for on-lookers, passengers of a Rawalpindi-bound air-conditioned bus coming from Karachi were forced to disembark in Mianwali in scorching heat.

The local bus stand was deserted on Thursday, with scores of passengers stranded under the sizzle.

Ruling party sources said that Mianwali had been given a target to bring 75 buses `full of PML supporters.’ The contingent will be led by two provincial ministers — Gul Hameed Khan Rokri and Sabtain Khan.

A Patwari of revenue department said that they were finding it hard to rally people because of the wheat harvesting season.

He said people accompanying the caravan would be given food whereas transporters would be paid accordingly. A traffic official claimed that transport companies were giving their vehicles willingly.

Some drivers present at the sports stadium along with their impounded buses condemned the official drive and said they were helpless. “We can’t resist the administration since we have to ply our vehicles throughout the year. There are a number of occasions where the administration can hurt our business. So we are helpless,” said the driver-cum-owner of an impounded bus.

It is learnt PML high command is providing funds to local organizers.

GUJRAT: The provincial government has reportedly directed the RTA and the traffic police to hire over 1000 buses and wagons.

Till Thursday evening, the RTA secretary with the help of traffic police had impounded 400 vehicles which were parked at various police stations and at the stadium and airport grounds.

Scared of the official drive, a number of transporters drove their vehicles off roads much to the inconvenience of commuters.

Sources said MNA Wajahat Hussain and district nazim Shafaat Hussain had convened a meeting of leaguers, including MNAs, MPAs, tehsil and union council nazims, at the Nat House on Wednesday where they instructed them to make the rally a `great success’. The executive district officers of almost all the departments also attended the meeting.

The sources said that the EDOs were directed by Wajahat Hussain to bring a maximum number of government employees from health, education, revenue and local government departments.

The meeting participants were informed that around 25,000 people would be taken to Islamabad from the district. Sources quoted Wajahat Hussain as telling the meeting that every participant would be given Rs 100 as pocket money. This means that Rs 2.5 million will be needed in this head alone if the ruling party manages 25,000 people.

The impounding of buses and wagons was also reported from Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal and Hafizabad.