KOHAT: The rickshaw drivers have started fleecing the people by doubling the fares on all city routes, especially from people coming to the town for Eid shopping.

A week ago the fare on the inner city routes was Rs50 to Rs60, but the three-wheelers are now charging Rs 120.

They are making the excuse that as the Zargran Bazaar has been made one-way, they have to take Jarwanda or LMH route which consumes more CNG. Fare on all the circular routes bypassing Zargran Bazaar was Rs70 a couple of days ago.

A rickshaw driver said when the people were paying exorbitant prices buying shoes and clothes they should also give some regard to the ‘poor’ rickshaw community.

He insisted as Eid festival came once a year it was not unjust to charge a little extra from the passengers.

On the other hand, district police officer Javed Iqbal has issued strict directives to the traffic in-charges to keep the fares of inter-district transport within the limits fixed by the Provincial Transport Authority.

A statement issued on Saturday said if passengers had complaints against any coaster driver they should call at 0332-9606162 and cooperate with police in this regard.

Meanwhile, traffic in-charge Mian Nizam Gul called a meeting of bus stand managers, transport union and owners of vehicles and asked them to refrain from over charging and over-loading. He made it clear to them that if anybody was found violating the law he would go to prison.

MAN WITH HASHISH ARRESTED: The Ustarzai police foiled an attempt of smuggling huge quantity of hashish from tribal area to down country at Marai checkpost on Saturday.

A police spokesman in a press release said the SHO concerned had prior information that hashish would be brought from Orakzai Agency to Kohat in a vehicle.

During checking the police stopped a white colour car without registration. During search a bag full of hashish was found in it. It weighed more than 12 kilogrammes.

The arrested smuggler named Syed Munir of Mitha area of Kohat is said to be a member of inter-provincial smugglers’ gang.

He was shifted to the police station where during preliminary interrogations he admitted to smuggling the consignment to Punjab. He was presented in a court which granted his physical remand to police for further interrogation.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2017