May 28, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1429

KARACHI, May 27: The Sindh Minister for Transport, Akhtar Hussain Jadoon, said that stern action would be taken against those public transporters who were creating problems for commuters.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said that some buses, minibuses and coaches went off the roads in the evening, creating a lot of problems for the commuters, particularly women.

The minister said that some transporters did not stop their vehicles at the designated bus stops and also dropped the passengers halfway even after charging fares for the full route.

Taking serious notice of all these complaints lodged by the people, the minister said that route permits of such vehicles would be cancelled.

He also directed the traffic police to take legal action against these buses, minibuses and coaches under the relevant traffic laws. The minister said that the transporters who allowed male commuters to occupy seats in the female compartment should also be dealt with severely.

Mr Jadoon said that the complaints regarding inter-provincial buses using illegal bus stand at the Cantt Railway Station would also be redressed.

Ban imposed

The traffic police has imposed a one-month ban on the movement of heavy vehicles supplying petroleum products, drugs, gases, water, commodities, meat and construction materials from 8amto 11am and 6pm to 9pm within the city’s limits. The DIG traffic has warned of strict action against those found violating the ban.

Centralised tax recovery

The Sindh Minister for Excise and Taxation, Mukaish Kumar Chawla, said that the centralisation of the tax recovery network across the province was the government’s top priority. He said that reforms would be introduced in the Motor Registration Wing to facilitate the citizens. In a statement issued here, the minister said that during a four-day campaign from May 19 to 22, documents of as many as 7,286 vehicles were scrutinised, of which 997 were confiscated for non-payment of motor vehicle tax.

He said that 101 vehicles were also impounded for non-payment of tax, of which 69 had been released after the payment of fines and taxes.—PPI