FAISALABAD, Feb 17: Hundreds of students of the Government Municipal Degree College on Thursday blocked traffic at Abdullahpur Chowk to protest increase in their computer training fee and the callous attitude of urban transport service with them.

The rally started from the college and after passing through various city roads reached Abdullahpur Chowk. The protesting students were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands.

Erecting barricades, they threw traffic out of gear which resulted in hampering traffic flow in almost a dozen roads of the area. After half-an-hour of the blockade, the students marched towards TMA Complex and staged a sit-in.

They asked the district and city administrations to use their influence for the revival of old fee structure for their computer training. They also demanded that action should be taken against the crew of metro buses, which according to them, insulted the students.

Senior police officials and representatives from the DCO rushed to the spot and held negotiations with the protesting students. They dispersed peacefully on the assurance that their demands would be forwarded to the authorities concerned.

BAN IMPOSED: The district administrations of Faisalabad and Jhang imposed a ban on pillion riding from Feb 17 to 20 to keep the law and order situation under control. Faisalabad DPO Muhammad Amin Wains said the action had been taken for the protection of lives and properties of the people during the holy month of Muharram.

He said the ban had also been imposed in tehsils Samundri, Sadar, Tandlianwala, Chak Jhumra and Jaranwala. Meanwhile, Corps Commander Lt-Gen Javaid Alam Khan directed that all necessary steps should be taken for the maintenance of peace during Muharram.

CONCERN: All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association has expressed its grave concern over the increase in the Sui gas tariff. APTPMA chief Sheikh Muhammad Ayub in a statement reiterated that the increase would adversely affect the performance of export-oriented industries in the country.

He said the textile processing sector was one of the most value-added, export-oriented, labour-intensive and revenue-generating sectors of textile industry in the country which accounted for 65 per cent of its national export earnings.

Mr Ayub said that gas had assumed the status of a basic raw material for this sector and the slightest increase in its price resulted in a corresponding increase in our cost of production.

He demanded that the federal government should withdraw the proposed enhancement of the gas tariff for the industrial consumers failing which industrial sector would sustain huge losses.