SWABI, Feb 1: The students of Yar Hussain Degree College here on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration and blocked road against public transport operators for overcharging them.

The protesting students were also joined by the residents of the area. The students marched from college to Adina Bridge and blocked the road to all kinds of vehicular traffic for nearly an hour.

The protesters also chanted slogans against the transporters and demanded of the district administration to take steps for implementation of the fare list, issued a week ago.

The fare list, issued by district administration, was rejected by the local transporters.

"The public transport operators are shifting the entire burden of the hike in petroleum and CNG prices to commuters," the protesters said. They alleged that transporters had refused to give concession to students despite clear directives of the administration.

The officials of the district administration told the protesters that they had already fined about 350 vehicles for violating the fare list. "This policy would continue," they said.

Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully.However, students belonging to all federations planned to stage a protest demonstration on Thursday against increase in fares.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy, who was seriously injured in an accident four days ago, succumbed to his injuries in a local hospital on Wednesday.

Hazrat Ali was on his way home in Zarobai area when his motorcycle skidded into a canal. He was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital. However, he breathed his last on Wednesday.

HASHISH SEIZED: The motorway police claimed here on Wednesday to have arrested a smuggler and recovered 125 kilograms hashish from his car.

They said that they were informed by Peshawar police about the smuggling bid. The arrested smuggler was identified as Turialay Khan, a resident of Peshawar, they added.