KARACHI, Dec 27: Picnickers and those who come for fishing at the Hub Dam are often deprived of money, valuables and sometimes even their vehicles, by armed persons owing to lack of any security measures taken by the Water and Power Development Authority and the local administration.

In addition to that, Wapda officials, especially some watchmen and persons hired by the fishing contractor concerned, also mint money for allowing the picnickers to take their vehicles closer to the reservoir, some visitors complained.

Some of those visiting the dam regularly for fishing or picnics alleged that some of Wapda watchmen and contractor's men were also involved in robberies, besides fleecing the visitors.

"When people refuse to grease their palms, they (watchmen) don't allow them to enter the limits of the dam, and force them to park their vehicles somewhere else. And when the picnickers return, often they find their vehicles missing," Muhammad Yasin, a regular visitor to the Hub dam deplored.

He said only those vehicles were allowed to enter the dam limits whose owners pay money to the men 'posted' there. Some picnickers and families visiting the dam, when interviewed, said the dam was a nice place for picnicking, but due to apathy of its supervising authorities, many people find it hard to visit the place due to absence of any road, shelter, drinking water and toilet facilities.

According to them, the road leading to Hub Dam from Karachi is nothing but a muddy track, and it takes them two to three hours to reach the site. There were no lifeguards posted at the reservoir to protect lives of people in case of any emergency, they added.

The visitors demanded of Wapda authorities and the government to take steps for protection of the people visiting the reservoir, besides taking action against those minting money. -PPI