Transporters threatened to forcibly remove the toll tax plaza erected on Karakoram Highway (KKH) following the tax rate hike.
The increase has made it difficult for service providers to continue operations. President of Hazara Transporters Association Jan Alam told reporters:
The contractor has increased the monthly toll tax for transporters from Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 2,200, which we cannot accept under any circumstances. The daily toll, which was previously Rs. 50 per day, has been doubled, adding to our financial burden; this should be reversed immediately.
He added that the decision to double the taxes is unlawful. The transporters agreed to the plaza construction on the condition of fixed toll tax rates, which the contractor has breached.
General secretary of the association, Parvez Khan Swati, stated that almost all roads, including the Karakoram Highway, are in terrible condition because the toll taxes collected here are being spent on roads leading out of Mansehra and other parts of Hazara division. He further stated:
The contractor had submitted a surety bond to the Abbottabad circuit bench of the Peshawar High Court stating that overhead bridges and underpasses would be constructed here, but three years had passed with no such progress.
This is a developing story as the relevant authorities are yet to respond to the threat.
Via: The News
