KOHAT: The 102 kiosks built to accommodate shopkeepers and provide daily-use commodities such as vegetable, fruit, meat, chicken and other groceries to people at one place at old jail ground and tehsil plaza have failed to attract customers due to negligence of the tehsil municipal administration.

When contacted, secretary general of Tajir Action Committee Mohammad Abid Khan alleged that the TMA officials were against the success of new market with 102 cabins. He said that the sheds were constructed early this year to accommodate the shopkeepers on Rs2,000 rent per month.

He said that now the plan had been changed and they would be auctioned openly. He feared that a corrupt ring of businessmen and officials would get them on price of their liking.

He suggested that the administration should allot them on easy rent without getting premium so that edibles could be provided to the people on cheap prices.

The commissioning of 102 kiosks constructed with a cost of Rs8 million at old jail ground has hit snags. The small market was launched early this year.

Abid Khan recalled that the administration had promised that the cabins under sheds would be given to poor shopkeepers through a draw and each owner would be charged Rs100,000 as security and Rs2,000 rent per month.

When contacted, TMA official Basheer Ahmed said that the plan had now been changed and the kiosks under the sheds would be auctioned openly.

CNG STATIONS CLOSED: The owners of CNG filling stations closed down business in the gas-rich districts of Kohat, Hangu and Karak indefinitely in protest against exorbitant increase in gas price.

Chairman of CNG filling stations of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sajid Islam, told mediapersons that these three districts were producers of oil and gas, therefore loadshedding or increase in price beyond the reach of consumers was unjustified.

He said that over 40 per cent raise in CNG prices was unaffordable and their business would suffer a lot. He feared that the government might increase oil prices, which would aggravate the situation.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2018