PESHAWAR: The representatives of various unions of transporters have expressed concern over the opening of a private bus stand in Lower Dir district, and urged the provincial government to take action against the operator, otherwise they will observe a strike on Jan 17.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday, Mohammad Idress Bacha Binori, a leader of the transporters, said ANP leader Mehmood Zeb Khan had illegally opened the bus stand just opposite the government-run stand in Timergara and was forcing the transport operatives to use his stand.

Flanked by leaders of different unions of transporters, he said stick wielding workers of ANP used to disembark passengers from coasters in the government-run stand and take them to the private stand forcibly, but police were not taking action as the town municipal officer was supporting the illegal stand.

“The transporters are paying about Rs40 million annually as TMA taxes and if the private stand is not closed at the earliest then the provincial government will be unable to collect the taxes and its entire responsibility will rest with the relevant TMO,” he alleged.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019