TAXILA: Scores of transporters including trucks, dumpers and trailer drivers on Saturday evening protested by blocking Fatehjang-Kohat road near Jhandial for over two hours against the Punjab highway patrolling police (PHP) check post there.

The transporters claimed that the check post was aimed at extorting illegal gratifications from the public and goods transporters.

On Saturday evening, the police signaled a trailer but its driver stopped the vehicle at a distance due to traffic on the road. This annoyed the policemen and they got the driver off the vehicle forcibly and trashed him and tore his clothes.

As the fellow drivers of trucks, dumpers and trailers witnessed the whole episode, they parked their vehicles in the middle of the road to register their protest over what they said the police highhandedness and money minting.

Due to protest, traffic remained suspended on Fatehjang- Kohat for over two hours. Due to protest commuters especially travelling in public transport stuck in traffic jam and women and children faced great deal of inconvenience.

Later officials from Fatehjang police station reached the spot and after successful negotiations, the protesting transporters called off protest and restored traffic.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021