TAXILA: Rickshaw drivers in Hassanabdal on Saturday held a protest demonstration against the imposition of a parking fee by the local administration.

The protesters said the Municipal Committee (MC) had started collecting Rs20 per day from the three-wheelers for plying on intercity routes. They said despite the fact that the Punjab government had abolished all types of taxes on rickshaws the MC through a local contractor was collecting the tax from the rickshaw drivers. They alleged that a major share of the money collected from the rickshaw drivers was going into the pockets of some MC officials as the receipts issued to them bore no serial numbers.

“There is no record about how many tickets have been issued and how much money collected through the tax,” said one of the protesters, Zulfiqar Ali.

Qasim Shah alleged that the administration in Hassanabdal was collecting the tax under a deal with a contractor who was given the contract without a proper bidding.

Zaman Khan said the MC had imposed the tax on rickshaws on the pretext of generating funds for the civic body.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018