More than 100 public transport drivers staged a demonstration on Tuesday to register their protest against swindlers disguised as Regional Transport Authority (RTA) officials.
The protesters demanded that the district coordination officer take notice of the matter and issue RTA officials distinctive identity cards so that drivers were not fooled again. Rafique, one of the protesting drivers, said that four men had been stopping every wagon at Nandipur stop in Aroop police premises since Friday and asking drivers to show route permits. He said one of them introduced himself as the RTA secretary from Sialkot and said that he was on a “surprise visit”. He said when the permit was produced, the men pointed to “errors” in the documents and took Rs1,500 from each wagon driver. He said they also seized some of the permits saying they needed to be checked at the office. They demanded that the RTA and the DCO take notice of the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2013.