GUJRANWALA, Dec 21: Frequent increase in the POL prices over the last few months has triggered off a series of clashes between transporters and passengers over fare issue on almost every route in the province.
At least six students of Government High School, Khiali, sustained injuries in a clash with transporters at Khiali By-pass intersection here the other day.
Some students wanted to return to their Bhoperan Kalan village. They got on a wagon (LHP-915), but the conductor reportedly demanded excess fare as transporters have already raised fares arbitrarily about a fortnight ago. The students refused to pay the excess fare and began to quarrel with the conductor.
In the meantime, the conductor pushed them down from vehicle and thrashed them with clubs and iron bars with the help of other wagon crew. Consequently, six students suffered injuries. They were rushed to the local DHQ Hospital where the condition of Anser Iqbal, Shaukat Abbas and Irfan was stated to be serious.
Meanwhile, the teaching staff and school students strongly protested against the crews of wagons and demanded their immediate arrest.
FAISALABAD: Five people sustained grievous injuries in different fare-related incidents in and around the city last week.
In Gulistan Colony, wagon driver Shabbir and his conductor Naveed attacked two boys when they refused to pay Re1 extra fare. Both Suleman and Shakoor sustained serious head and chest injuries.
Five passengers of a coaster injured seriously conductor Muhammad Boota for charging extra fare in Thikriwala. The attackers also abused some other passengers and driver when they tried to intervene the matter.
In another incident on Faisalabad-Jaranwala Road, three passengers attacked wagon driver Younas and conductor Sher Zaman. A police team rushed to the spot, but the attackers managed to escape.
The drivers of coasters, wagons and buses have enhanced fare from Re1 to Rs2 for five-kilometre distance without prior permission to the authorities concerned.
Reports of clashes between the public and transporters have also been reported from different city localities and towns like Khurrianwala, Dijkot, Satiana, Jaranwala, Samundri and Tandlianwala.
Confirming reports about clashes between commuters and vehicle-owners, local police officials claimed they were unable to take action against violators without any formal complaints.
Owners of wagons plying on urban and rural areas were fleecing the people on one or the other pretext, but the traffic police and the Regional Transport Authority were playing the role of a silent spectator.
Transporters said they had left with no option but to enhance the fares in the light of increase in the prices of petroleum products. On the other hand, commuters rejected the plea of transporters and said that they had no right to fix the fares on their own.