GUJRANWALA, April 17: The regional transport authority secretary and his entire staff on Saturday were transferred for not accommodating the administration of the franchized buses.

The government also cancelled the route permits of the Transport Society Gujranwala (TSG) wagons which were running between Ghakkhar and Kamoke. A new RTA secretary was also inducted on an alleged recommendation of a minister to benefit the franchized buses.

According to reports, the government had launched franchized bus service between the two towns some two months ago while the transport ministry directed the RTA secretary to wind up wagon service to benefit the franchized buses. The RTA secretary had reportedly cancelled the route permits of about 100 TSG wagons despite the fact that each wagon owner was paying Rs1,000 per month to the administration.

But the government was not satisfied with the performance of RTA secretary Qasim Wasti and his staff for not obliging the management of franchized buses.

It was stated that the RTA secretary post was of Grade 18 but an officer of Grade 17 Zulqarnain Sikander has been inducted. He was working in the Revenue department in Vehari.

The franchized buses were facing losses and its first management withdrew their shares while the government handed over these buses to another management. Reportedly, a minister's relative is included in the new management.

Meanwhile, the TSG wagon drivers, conductors and owners strongly opposed the cancellation of route permits of the public transport vehicles. They said that about 5,000 families would suffer if the wagon service wound up.

They demanded that cancelled route permits of wagons should be restored while the transfer orders of the RTA secretary and his staff should also be withdrawn. They threatened that they would move the high court if their demands were not met.