SARGODHA, April 7: A group of local transporters set ablaze an air-conditioned bus at a wagon stand, as its owner had reportedly withdrew his bus from the assailant party's service.

Reports gleaned by this correspondent said about a dozen armed men set to fire a bus (ND-851) in the afternoon. The Cantonment police reached the troubled spot along with fire brigade after about half-an-hour and helped extinguish fire to save other vehicles from being engulfed.

The police have registered a case against the suspects under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to Iqbal Gujjar of Sadiqabad, his bus was being run between Sargodha and Sadiqabad by the Minthar bus service. He said he was annoyed with the excesses of the bus service management and withdrew the vehicle.

To take the revenge, a dozen armed men of the Minthar group set ablaze his bus by sprinkling petrol. Besides, he said, the group threatened him with dire consequences. He claimed that he suffered the loss of Rs1.5 million due to this incident.