| The greenie meanies are making them convert from gas-powered rickshaws to CNG rickshaws that are costly and underpowered; the police are "helping" by impounding all the older vehicles and then releasing them after payments of bribe money... |
PESHAWAR: Rickshaw drivers went on a three-day strike here on Monday, and protested against the impounding of nearly 700 rickshaws by traffic police. A rally, staged on the call of the Rickshaw Drivers Union’s joint action committee, was taken out from Gulbahar and after marching on the Grand Trunk (GT) Road staged a sit-in at Hashtnagri, the city’s main traffic artery, suspending traffic for more than an hour. Addressing rally participants, Union leaders Baz Mohammad, Murad Khan, Rafiullah, Ayaz, Noor Akbar and Amanullah criticised the provincial and city governments and police for impounding two-stroke rickshaws, permit restrictions and “police excesses”. They also blamed Peshawar Nazim Ghulam Ali for the prevailing situation and said “the government is depriving us of our bread”.
They demanded that the government release the impounded rickshaws and issue route permits for non-permit vehicles.
Later, the union’s joint action committee chairman Baz Mohammd told Daily Times that traffic police had impounded vehicles and that, “we have been fined Rs 5,000 for the permits.” He accused the SP traffic of “causing trouble” and demanded his transfer. He also alleged that police officials had released impounded vehicles after receiving Rs 1,500 to 2,000 in bribes, and said there were nearly 20,000 rickshaws in Peshawar and that “a rickshaw supports 30 people including its driver, owner, mechanic and spare parts sellers. We have paid Rs 200,000 for a rickshaw and cannot afford the recently introduced CNG rickshaws “that are weak compared to two-stroke vehicles.”
Union Faqirabad Chapter President Waheed Ullah said, “The government says the increasing number of rickshaws is causing trouble, but it is launching the CNG rickshaws at the same time.” |
