LAHORE, May 23: The operations of the Metro Bus System (MBS) remained suspended on Thursday for about an hour after several drivers refused to work under protest against the private Turkish company’s administration for allegedly depriving them of rights.

Scores of drivers started gathering at Gajjumata (MBS’s originating point) around 2pm after completing their trips. They chanted slogans against the firm administration which, they said, was not providing them facilities like water, shade for sitting/rest and toilets at Gajjumata and Shahdara.

The drivers resumed their duties after the senior officials of the Punjab Metro Bus Authority (PMBA) rushed to the spot and placated the protesters.

“Finding the drivers’ problems genuine, the company arranged two containers having toilet, water and rest facilities for the drivers,” PMBA General Manager (Operations) Uzair Shah told Dawn.

He said as the drivers resumed their duty after provision of facilities, the protest caused suspension of the MBS operations for 45 minutes (2:45pm to 3:30pm). He said he had also asked the company to provide similar facilities to drivers at Shahdara to avoid such protests in future.