MBA staff protest continues on second day

Islamabad: Talks between Metro Bus Authority (MBA) and employees failed as protesters stopped bus service for an indefinite period on Friday. The protest of MBS employees against non-payment of their salaries continued on second day.

The ticketing staff was not issuing tickets to passengers in all stations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The protesters also shutdown all entry and exit points of metro stations on Friday. MBS has deployed police officials in all stations to control law and order situation.

On the other hand, MBS has claimed that those having cards were travelling on buses. But the claim of concerned authority was not true because there was not even a single bus on the track till filing of this report.

The protesters have threatened to continue strike till the acceptance of their demands. They also threatened to pelt stones over the buses plying on metro tracks. Passengers were facing difficulties due to absence of bus service in Rawalpindi and Islamabad due to strike. Hundreds of passengers were seen running behind wagons, taxis and other transports to reach their destinations.

Metro Bus Authority (Director) Ms Shumaila has claimed that those passengers having monthly cards could travel. The protesters have shutdown all system therefore bus service not operating, she said. “We have paid all dues of employees to the private companies. The protesters could take their salaries from their concerned companies,” she said.

Punjab government yet refused to own the staff working with the bus service saying that they had hired all employees including drivers, conductors, security staff, ticketing staff, sweepers etc from different private companies. The passengers have appealed Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to resolve the issue to ply bus service.