Protest held against fare hike

PESHAWAR, Dec 3: There has been an arbitrary incerase in transport fares on Chitral-Peshawar and Chitral-Islamabad routes with the change of the Lowari tunnel’s opening timings. On Monday, a large number of people from Chitral held a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Soori Road in Peshawar, and asked the government to take action against the transporters. The protesters were led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chitral district president Maulana Abdur Rahman. the protesters  also demanded opening of the Lowari Tunnel, reduction in fares and provision of subsidy in air tickets. Speaking on the occasion, the JUI leader said owing to the new schedule of the opening of Lowari tunnel, drivers of the public service vehicles had increased fares by 100 per cent. He claimed that a passenger before the said schedule had to pay Rs1000 from Chitral to Peshawar and now he had to pay Rs2000. He maintained that Chitrali people were already being faced with many difficulties while this step of the provincial government created added to their miseries. Expressing grave concern on the traveling schedule of Lowari tunnel, residents of district Chitral demanded of the government to keep open the tunnel for passengers on daily basis. He said according to new schedule, the tunnel would remain open for three days in a week while rest of the days it would be closed, saying that due to closure of the tunnel passengers were being faced with difficulties.]]>