MUZAFFARGARH, Jan 4: A patient died on account of a blockade of the River Chenab bridge by a construction company on Saturday evening which resulted in about five-kilometer-long traffic jam that could be cleared late into the night.

Dawn learnt that a bulldozer driver of the construction company refused to pay the toll tax at the check post on the demand of contractor Saifullah and his staff. The driver asked the contractor that the company was constructing the bridge, but he insisted for the fee.

Later, the construction company officials blocked the main road by placing a bulldozer in the middle of the road. Police reached after an hour and tried to handle the situation by engaging both parties in talks.

In the meantime, the stranded commuters tried to set afire the bulldozer. Finally, they succeeded in pushing it off the road several hours after the blockade.

Patient Asghar Mistry, who was coming to Nishter Hospital in Multan from D.G Khan, expired amid the traffic jam.

A company official said that they were building the bridge and could not give the fee, but contractors said that it was his right to take fee.

DSP (Traffic) Syed Sifatullah Sherazi said that both parties were powerful and police could not take any action against them.