MANSEHRA: Wagon owners on Thursday observed a wheel-jam strike in Hazara division against the traffic police’s crackdown inconveniencing commuters.

Wagons, a major source of commuting in Hazara division, remained off the road prompting cabbies to overcharge commuters.

Commuters complained that the wagon service from Mansehra to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Haripur, Balakot, Oghi and other parts of Hazara division remained suspended all through the day.

Traffic police say won’t allow overcharging of commuters

Hazara Wagon Owners Association president Jan Alam told reporters here that wagon owners had increased fare after the CNG price went up by Rs6 per kg and that the CNG price hike had happened two times in the last few weeks.

“We approached the Regional Transport Authority secretary to seek increase in wagon fare following higher gas price but he refused to accede to the request saying the RTA hasn’t received any intimation of increase in CNG price from the regulator (Ogra),” he said.

Mr. Alam said the traffic police had begun cracking down on wagons over higher fare and so, wagon owners didn’t have any no other option but to go on a wheel-jam strike.

“When the fuel prices go up, fare should be revised accordingly but the RTA hasn’t done. And when we increased fare on our own, the traffic police began crackdown on us,” Hazara Wagon Owners Association secretary general Pervez Khan Swati said.

Head of the traffic police Jamal Zeb told reporters that transporters won’t be allowed to charge commuters more than what had been fixed by the RTA.

“We will continue crackdown on the excessive fare,” he said.

Mr. Zeb said the traffic police had arranged alternative transport vehicles for commuters to reach destinations.

“We have taken up the issue with the RTA for early yet amicable resolution,” he said.

SAPLINGS DISTRIBUTED: The watershed department on Thursday launched the free distribution of saplings in Shergar range of Oghi tehsil.

“We’re distributing free saplings to owners of barren land under the Tsunami Billion Tree Project and thus, ensuring pollution-free environment,” Shergar Range officer Amjad Khan told a function organised in Bazaargye area to mark the sapling distribution programme.

Mr. Amjad said hundreds of thousands of saplings were being provided to local residents free of charge.

He said after the distribution of saplings, the department sent teams to the areas, where they’re grown, to check the programme’s progress.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2017