Transporters fleecing Chitralis

CHITRAL, Oct 19: Unscrupulous transporters never miss an opportunity to humiliate and loot the citizens especially on important occasions like Eid. On the other hand, despite making tall claims the local administration seems helpless in front of these transporters who never care about the law or discomfort to the people including women and children and openly violate the officially fixed fares. Before and after Eid, it has become routine that the transporters receive exorbitant fares form the passengers and cram them into their vehicles like animals. In Peshawar bus terminal it has also become a routine that the transporters ask the passengers to reach at the bus point well before 6pm but wagons leave for Chitral at the will of the drivers sometimes late in the night. In the meantime, there is no waiting area for the passengers and they have to face humiliation in the crowded bus terminal. There have also been reports that the Chitrali passengers are robbed at the bus terminal of their cash and valuables. The worst victims of the transport mafia on the Chitral-Peshawar route are Chitrali students of different institutions in Peshawar who frequently travel on the route. The transporters usually charge 1,000 rupees per passenger but ask the travelers to pay an extra 100 to 300 rupees per bag. Soon after the Eid holidays when the people start returning to the cities from Chitral, the transporters create a shortage of vehicles and ask the passengers to pay them extra fares. This is not only the case on the long route but also on different routes inside Chitral where the writ of the local administration seems missing giving a free hand to the transporters.]]>