ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: The Rawalpindi police on Sunday manhandled the drivers of public transport vehicles protesting against the highhandedness of a sergeant who allegedly fined a driver at Faizabad for not paying bribe, witnesses said.

A police party, headed by Sadiqabad Police Station SHO Razzaq Janjua, baton-charged the drivers and resorted to aerial firing to disperse them when they blocked the Murree Road in protest.

The police also misbehaved with some journalists present on the occasion and threatened to break photographers’ cameras if they took snaps. Another police official, Raja Tefoor, accompanied by DSP of Sadiqabad police station, also arrived at the spot and ordered his subordinates to immediately clear the road.

A number of private vehicles were also damaged when some agitated drivers pelted stones at the traffic. Some senior officials of police and local administration rushed to the spot but they abused drivers instead of taking action against police officials responsible for the incident.

“I was going to Rawalpindi when a police sergeant intercepted me at Faizabad and demanded Rs200 as bribe,” Riaz, a van driver, told Dawn.

“When I refused to pay the money, the sergeant and some of his subordinates abused me. They registered a challan and imposed a Rs500 fine on me,” he added.

As a result of the police action, some drivers of the public transport vehicles protested and blocked the road by parking in the middle. It is learnt that the police of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have kicked off an Eidi campaign to make extra income.

“In view of such incidents, the government’s efforts to bring changes in the police department through reforms seem to be a futile exercise,” some of the citizens said.

Mohammad Tariq, a driver, said police and local administration had crossed all limits of highhandedness. Despite receiving money on monthly basis, the police always create problems for the transporters, he alleged. Another driver, Mohammad Arshad, said the police did not asked them to show driving licence or other documents of the vehicles, but only demanded money.

Some of the citizens said their children became scared due to the blocking of road and police firing. “Police should mend their ways, at least, during the holy month of Ramazan,” they added.