ISLAMABAD: Thousands of transporters have been fined by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) for charging passengers higher fares than fixed by the government because of the Eid rush.

Motorway Police spokesman Hamad Nasir told Dawn on Sunday that a large number of transporters had been fined for overcharging and they were made to return the excess amount to passengers.

NH&MP Inspector General Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema has ordered all zonal deputy inspector generals to impose heavy fines and even impound vehicles of transporters who had been taking advantage of the situation because most people want to celebrate Eid in their native places.

According to details provided by the motorway office, officers of N-5 Central Zone (Lahore-Rahim Yar Khan) forced dozens of vehicle-owners to return thousands of rupees to passengers in Lahore, Sahiwal, Chichawatni and Bahawalpur districts.

Officers of N-5 North Zone (Peshawar-Lahore) took action against 122 transporters and helped passengers get back the overcharged amount of about Rs100,000.

Heavy fines were imposed on 246 transporters in Peshawar, Nowshera, Kamra, Taxila, Gujar Khan, Dina and Jhelum districts.

The officers also impounded a vehicle.

They imposed heavy fines on 235 transporters and helped passengers receive Rs214,230 in Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Islamabad, Chakri, Kallar Kahar, Lahore and Faisalabad districts.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014