KOHAT: Business and social organisations here have demanded starting a second express rail service between Kohat and Rawalpindi besides restoration of two coaches to facilitate the passengers.

The people thronged the train due to its low fare of Rs240 compared Rs500 charged by public transport vehicles for one way.

Saeed Paracha, chairman of Karwan-e-Kohat, a representative body of the local organisations, said in a statement on Thursday that due to the increasing rush on the express train service the elderly men and women had to travel on the floor for four hours on 176km long journey.

He said that when the service was resumed in 2018 after remaining suspended since 2013 new locomotives had been attached to it. He claimed that later it had been stripped off the new engines and two coaches.

He said the old engines developed faults, resulting in wastage of time for the businessmen and general public.

FAKE CURRENCY SEIZED: Police foiled an attempt to smuggle fake currency to Punjab and arrested an inter-provincial smuggler on theShakardarra-Mianwali road on Thursday.

The police stopped a Mianwali-bound coach during checking of vehicles at Gurguro Kandaow checkpost and on search of baggage of a passenger recovered fake currency of up to Rs100,000.

The suspect, identified as Roz Ali Khan of Bhakkar district, was shifted to Shakardarra police station where an FIR had been registered against him.

PRICE REVIEW MEETING : Chairing a meeting of the price review committee on Thursday, deputy commissioner Roshan Mehsud warned of strict action over artificial price hike and sale of substandard edibles during Ramazan.

The meeting was attended by additional deputy commissioner Bashir Ahmed, food controller, Kohat Tajir Ittehad chairman Ameer Khan Afridi and traders association president Haji Abid Khan.

The participants agreed to control rates and point out those selling essential commodities at high prices to ensure their availability at reasonable prices during Ramazan.

Meanwhile, the social welfare department and Kohat Cement Company (KCC) started a campaign of planting 51,000 plants in 2022 by planting a sapling in Nishtar Special Education Complex and held an awareness walk on Thursday.

The function was attended by social welfare officer Amjid Afridi, deputy director Hussain Khattak, administration head of KCC retired Col Ajmal Khanand local students.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2022