Rawalpindi : All bus and wagon terminals including railway station Thursday remained jam packed with passengers who were leaving for their native towns to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their families. The passengers were seen running from one bus stand to the other in search of tickets, while powerful transporters taking full advantage of the situation were demanding double fares from them.
Huge rush of passengers could be witnessed at all bus terminals and also at Rawalpindi Railway Station here on Thursday.
On the other hand, as per ugly practices long route transporters were openly looting helpless passengers by charging Rs100 to Rs200 extra on a ticket apart from charges of luggage, thanks to the apathy of the government officials who were watching the whole drama with closed eyes. Some transporters at Pirwadhai, Faizabad, Rawat, Humrahi Wagon Terminal and Soan Bus/Wagon Terminal were demanding double fares from poor passengers.
All the arrangements made by City Traffic Police and Regional Transport Authority to facilitate the passengers on the occasion of Eid proved fruitless, as the transport mafia fleeced the passengers across Rawalpindi division.
District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Khalid Yameen Satti told ‘The News’ that the authority has formed special teams to check overcharging. “We have imposed fines and has also cancelled route permits of transporters for charging high fares,” he claimed. He said that the authority will never spare looters at any cost.
Muhammad Rashid a government official who wanted to go to Dera Ismael Khan along with his family said that in routine they pay Rs600 to DI Khan but transporters are taking Rs1000 on Eid. “How could we pay Rs400 extra,” he said. He said that there was not a single government official at the bus terminals to stop looters.
Similarly, retailers are looting public with both hands in guise of Eid as butchers are selling 1-kilogram mutton at Rs1200 and beef at Rs600. The chicken sellers without mentioning routine rate lists selling 1-kilogram chicken meat at Rs350 per kilogram. All kinds of vegetables like tomato, onion and green chilli are being sold on high prices.
The city district government, Rawalpindi has left public in the lurch on Eid days. Assistant Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Tasneem Ali Khan said that they will stop overcharging on eatables. “We are continuously visiting markets to arrest profiteers ahead of Eid,” he assured.