August 06, 2007	Monday	Rajab 21, 1428

FAISALABAD, Aug 5: Thekariwala police have registered a case against 225 people for raising slogans against a member of the National Assembly and the Regional Transport Authority secretary for cancelling routes of buses running on Jhang Road.

Several people staged on Saturday a protest demonstration against the July 28 decision. The protesters carrying placards and banners burnt tyres and raised slogans against MNA Asim Nazir, who belonged to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, and the secretary. They disrupted traffic for four hours and demanded immediate restoration of bus routes.

Police later accused the protesters of creating a law and order situation and registered a case against them under sections 148, 149, 188, 341 and 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Those nominated in the first information report are Commuters Committee members Shahbaz Kisana, Rana Farooq, Zafar, Mohammad Javed, Mudassar, Maqbool, Allah Rakha, Rana Ikramullah, Rana Suleman and Mazhar. However, no accused has been arrested so far.

Showing disregard for the case, the protesters again staged a demonstration on Saturday and blocked Jhang Road. They raised slogans against the cancellation of routes and demanded that the chief minister help resolve the issue. They vowed to continue their protests till restoration of the cancelled routes.

A meeting of the Commuters Committee with the district administration on the routes issue a couple of days ago remained inconclusive. However, the committee had given the authorities three days to restore the routes.