Transporters in Swat protest imposition of levy

MINGORA: The transporters on Thursday staged a protest against the imposition of levy by the Tehsil Municipal Administration and asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to look into the matter.

The charged protesters also pelted vehicles with stones, injuring a youth and damaging his car. The protesters gathered at Khwazakhela in Swat. They were chanting slogans against the federal and provincial governments. They blocked the Mingora-Matta road for traffic.A transporter ZaibSar was leading the protest.

The speakers said the federal government had adopted a step-motherly attitude towards the people of militancy and natural calamities-hit Malakand division.

They said that taxes were imposed on the people instead of giving them relief. They said that the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) was carrying out up to 20-hour power cuts in parts of Swat on the directives of the federal government.

The protesters asked the government to reverse the decision of imposition of new tax on transporters, make an end to unannounced loadshedding and reduce duration of power cuts.

Assistant Commissioner Captain (R) ZubairNiazi and Tehsil Municipal Officer Shakeel Hayat held talks with the protesting transporters. They assured them to address their complaints. The protesters dispersed peacefully on the assurance of the two government officers.