FAISALABAD, Jan 30: A civil court on Friday issued stay order against the collection of toll from different roads in the district and directed the local government to immediately stop collecting it.

District Bar Association former secretary-general Arshad Ali Warraich had filed a suit with Civil Judge Zulfiqar Ahmad Naeem Ranjha about four months ago, claiming that the district government had planned to impose toll on the district's main roads.

The court issued notices to the district government officials pursuing the case and filed their written reply a couple of months ago. The judge had directed the district not to impose toll on any road till any decision in this case.

However, the district government at its meeting on Dec 23, 2003, imposed toll on five major roads of the district and formally awarded the contracts. The complainant again filed a contempt of court application before the civil judge, who summoned District Nazim Zahid Nazir and toll inspector Ghulam Dastagir.

On Friday, Assistant District Attorney Mian Afzal Ahmad appeared before the civil court on behalf of the district government and contended its version. He claimed the toll had been imposed by the district administration to generate funds so that maximum development projects could be initiated in the district.

Defending his plea, the complainant termed the toll imposition illegal and just for extorting money from people. "There is no justification to collect money from the motorists without the formal approval of the provincial government."

After heated debate, the civil judge issued stay order against the collection of toll and ordered the district Nazim to stop its collection.

DIST COUNCIL: The ruling and opposition groups of the district government decided to evolve a new formula for augmenting financial resources by withdrawing the toll from main roads of the district.

The decision has been taken at a joint pre-session meeting of the councillors at the Circuit House on Friday. District Nazim Zahid Nazir chaired the meeting.

Immediately after the start of the formal session of the council, convener Raza Nasrullah Ghuman said members of both the groups had decided to resolve the toll collection controversy.