KARACHI, Nov 20: Fake tickets are being issued to visitors by the local zoological garden management.

The scribe during a visit to the zoo observed that the amount of the entrance fee was not printed on the tickets being issued to the visitors to the museum where various species of snakes are kept.

The person selling the tickets was charging amounts varying between Rs3 and Rs5 without following any criterion. Though many visitors objected but the ticket-seller said that if they wanted to enter the enclosure they had to purchase those tickets.

When pointed out why there was no fee amount printed on the tickets, he said that he did not know because he was just a low-grade employee, and that his boss might know.

Some people accompanied by children tried to reason with the ticket-vendor, they had to give in and purchase the tickets to pacify their children who were eager to enter the museum and witness the reptiles.

A middle-aged person, Wahid Bakhsh Chang, who had brought his wife and five children complained to the scribe that the ticket vendor had charged Rs28 from them and the tickets given did not carry a price tag.

“How do I know what the actual amount of the fee for adults and kids is. I do not mind paying any amount, but I want to make sure that the money was going to the government kitty,” said a worried looking Chang.

This practice is causing a huge loss to the department concerned and a great deal of resentment among the people as exchange of hot words between the visitors and the officials engaged in selling these bogus tickets was a common. sight.

While a large number of visitors expressed concern over the issuance of fake tickets, many others questioned why they were being charged separately for the snakes’ enclosure when they had already paid the entrance fees at the main gate.

A visibly agitated visitor, being calmed down by his wife, said sarcastically that the day was not too far away when the zoo administration would introduce separate fees for each and every enclosure in the facility.