MIRPURKHAS: Scores of drivers, cleaners and owners of buses held a demonstration outside local press club here on Friday in protest against extortion by local gangs and warned they would go on strike if police did not rein in the thugs.

They raised slogans against district administration and demanded authorities concerned put an end to the extortion and ensure their FIRs were registered against the culprits, otherwise they would stop plying buses on Mirpurkhas-Naukot town route.

They complained to media persons that they had been plying their buses and coasters on the Mirpurkhas-Naukot route since 1990 without having to pay any protection money to anyone but these gangsters had appeared for last few months and they were forcing them at gunpoint to pay them Rs2,000 per vehicle daily otherwise their coasters would not be allowed to ply on the route.

They said that they complained to police but they were not taking action any against the gangsters, forcing them to observe protest.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024