BAHAWALPUR: Commuters remained stranded for hours at Multan Toll Plaza at the Sutlej due to the day-long strike of tractors-trolley drivers on main Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar (KLP) road on Monday.

Reports said over hundreds of tractor-trolley drivers digging sand from the bed of the river near the city on Monday protested against the contractors of mining department for overcharging allegedly in connivance with the department officials.

The drivers alleged that contractors charged them heavily violating the contract conditions which caused them financial loss.

The tractor-trolley drivers during their protest on Monday morning blocked the main Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar road near the Multan Toll plaza leading to the main entrance to the Bahawalpur city and for onward journey to Karachi.

They blocked the road by parking their trollies on the road. The road blockade continued for hours due to which vehicles including trailers, passengers buses, AC coaches, wagons and cars lined up on both sides of the KLP road. This caused a great deal of inconvenience to the passengers.

The police remained unconcerned for hours to re-open the KLP road with the result that the passengers waited unnecessarily for hours till the vehicular movement was resumed in the afternoon after negotiations between the tractor-trolley drivers and the contractors.

CRACKDOWN: The police assisted by traffic police personnel launched a crackdown against over 12 unauthorised APV van stands, removed them and sealed their premises around the general bus stand on Monday.

The crackdown was launched on the complaints of motorists and pedestrians who faced traffic problems during their movement in the area.

The unauthorised parking stands caused congestion and traffic problems for the passers-by and motorists.

The traffic police claimed that during the crackdown, a number of APV and other vehicles operating illegally were impounded and roads around the bus stand were cleared of the mess.

During the operation, members of the ‘transport mafia’ also attacked the police staff who moved complaints against them for registration of cases.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023