RAWALPINDI, March 6: Acting District Nazim Raja Javed Akhlas has postponed implementation of the franchise transport agreement till the arrival of the district Nazim, Raja Tariq Kiani, official sources told Dawn.

The Punjab government had directed the district government to implement the agreement.

The acting Nazim has taken the decision in anticipation of a backlash in shape of protests and subsequent disturbance of law and order in the city.

Talking to this reporter, Mr Akhlas said: "I've left the matter to the district Nazim, Raja Tariq Kiani, who is abroad and would be assuming charge next week."

The district government has received reports from the law- enforcement agencies indicating that the decision could lead to serious disturbance of law and order in the city.

The implementation of the decision would affect as many as 2,346 vans plying on different routes in the city, a transport union office-bearer, Mr Shabbir Bangash, told this reporter.

He said the union would chalk out its strategy once the district government went ahead with the implementation of the decision. According to Mr Bangash, an appeal by the union was lying pending with the Supreme Court.

He said President General Pervez Musharraf, during a meeting, with the transporters had assured them that they would not be thrown out of the business.

Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Illahi during an election campaign rally in the city had criticised the franchise transport arrangement and vowed to get it undone.

The commuters have been greatly perturbed at the development, as the private bus company, eying exclusive operational rights under the franchise agreement, has not got enough buses.

According to a study conducted by the district government, the private bus company is short of 68 buses to replace the wagons plying on route number 1 only. The route starts from Saddar and ends at Secretariat. The company could ensure a satisfactory service only if it earmarked its entire fleet for this route.

The company owns a fleet of around 150 buses through which it plans to operate in the entire city. The other cause of concern for the commuters is that the cost of transportation would go up. A commuter would have to pay Rs 3-5 per trip more.

Large scale unemployment of people associated with the existing transport structure of the city is feared to spark off a storm of protest.

It merits mention here that the district administration had earlier franchised route number 7 to the same company, but the experience has been a bitter one for the commuters.