TIMERGARA, July 17: The transporters continued their strike for the second consecutive day in Chakdara against the tehsil municipal administration’s decision to shift the general bus stand from the main bazaar to a place at about one kilometre from there.

The local transport union also kept vehicles off-road the other day and traffic on Asbanr, Kotigram, Ouch, Ramora and Badwan Khadagzai roads remained suspended in protest against shifting of the Chakdara bus stand from the city centre.

Meanwhile, an urgent meeting of the Adenzai Qaumi Jirga was held with former provincial minister Bakht Baidar Khan in the chair. Sultanat Yar of the JI, Maulana Gul Rahim of JUI-F, Fakhruzzaman of PTI, Mohammad Umar of PPP-S, Abdul Rahman of ANP, truck owners’ association president Saadullah Khan and transport union representatives attended the meeting.

The jirga set July 20 deadline for the district and tehsil administrations to restore the old bus stand or select another place near Chakdara bazaar for the bus stand otherwise they threatened to block Timergara-Peshawar road for traffic on July 21.

The jirga said that despite complete shutter down by Adenzai traders on Friday and transporters’ strike the local administration had ignored their problems. It appealed to local commander of the army to ask the local administration to take people of the area into confidence before taking any decision pertaining to their interests.

Meanwhile, the tehsil municipal officer Hayat Shah told media persons that they needed 16 kanals for the bus stand, which was not available near the bazaar. Moreover, the old contract expired on Feb. 16 this year and they gave the bus stand contract according to legal process.

“We selected the proposed site for the stand after fulfilling all requirements,” the TMO said.