KOHAT: Hundreds of illegal handcarts of Afghan refugees encroaching on both sides of the city’s Jail Road and main bazaar have been creating traffic jams, causing inconvenience to the pedestrians and motorists.

The traders have demanded their removal for the customers’ easy movement. They said that rickshaws and cars stuck in the jam created a long queue that took hours to clear.

When contacted, tehsil municipal administration’s taxation officer Mohammad Bashir said on Friday that only 70 handcarts standing in the old bus stand were legal from whom they charged Rs100 daily.

About the free-of-cost Sasta bazaar shops established for the handcarts on Jail Road, he said that during an operation against the other cart owners they took refuge in it, but again came out on the road after the action was over.

Mr Bashir said that about 600 carts in the main and other bazaars had been allowed by shopkeepers in front of their shops who were charging Rs300 each from them.

He said they conducted operations daily and they had impounded 15 handcarts in two days.

RESCUE 1122: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 director general Dr Khateer Ahmed at a meeting has stressed creating awareness among the people to avoid obnoxious calls on the emergency helpline,which could take any precious human life.

District emergency officer Jawad Khalil and heads of all six stations and control rooms was also present.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Yasir Khattak told mediapersons on Friday that after chairing the meeting here Dr Ahmed also visited the under-construction rescue centres at the KDA Town and Garhi Mawaz Khan which would increase their total number to six for easy accessibility and early response.

He said that space was not available yet for sale for construction of the centre in Darra Adamkhel, but the ambulance and staff had been provided there on makeshift basis.

Mr Khalil regretted that fake calls kept the emergency number engaged during which crucial calls could not be attended to.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2022