HYDERABAD, Aug 12: The All Sindh Bus and Mini-Bus Owners Association, General Bus Stand, Hali Road, Hyderabad, has threatened to observe strike if the collection of what it called “Goonda” tax in the name of parking tax was not stopped within 48 hours.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, the president of the Association, Mohammad Yasin, and general-secretary Saleem Khan Babar, accompanied by several transporters, said due to manifold increase in prices of diesel and petrol, it had become difficult for transporters to ply their vehicles.

They said the extortion of money in the name of parking tax at so many places by so-called contractors had added to the miseries of the bus owners.

They said the collection of the parking tax was unconstitutional.

The transporters’ representatives said the parking tax was always levied by municipal authorities and local administration at bus stands they had constructed.

They said the General Bus Stand, Hali Road, was constructed by the defunct Hyderabad Municipal Corporation from where buses ply for Karachi and the interior of Sindh.

They said the bus owners were paying parking tax to the municipal administration.

The leaders of the Association said the bus owners and drivers were harassed by the hoodlums of the so-called contractors and their vehicles were not allowed to continue journey without the payment of the Goonda tax.

They said they had made representations to authorities concerned but no action had been taken.