Hayatabad Toll Plaza: transporters threaten to move court against illegal tax collection

Local transporters have warned to move the court against collection of illegal tax on Hayatabad Toll Plaza by Peshawar Development Authority. Addressing at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, All Mushtarka Transporter Trailers and Trucks Owner Association President Haji Muhammd Yousaf said the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) had imposed levy on trucks, carrying food and non-food consignments at Hayatabad toll plaza Peshawar, which was not acceptable to them. He informed that a large number local vehicle were crossed the toll plaza on daily basis.
He added the authorities charged Rs 100 to Rs 200 from small vehicle, while Rs 300 to Rs 500 from eight wheelers trucks. He maintained that the tax was only being imposed on Afghan Transit trade carriages, but imposition of same tax on local transport against the verdict of Peshawar High Court in this regard.
Similarly, he said tax was also being collected from transporters on four different toll plazas en route from Peshawar Adda to Hayatbad transport by local authorities. He made it clear that the additional tax could not acceptable to them, which should be immediately withdrawn. The transporters leader recalled that the incumbent Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had also issued directives for immediate withdrawal of collection of illegal levy on Hayatabad Toll Plaza, by following the decision of the superior judiciary. However, he lamented that the directives didn't implement yet.
Muhammad Yousaf has expressed concern over new insurance policy, introduced jointly by Provincial Transport Authority and Regional Transport Authority. He viewed that transporters didn't consult before the passage of the new policy. He said a Punjab-based company was manipulating the transporters on various tactics, which must be ended. He explained that insurance certificate had been made mandatory prior to registration of the vehicle. He strongly opposed the policy, particularly unilaterally decisions, taken by PTA and RTA, which was mostly against the interest of the transport community. The transporters warned that if the collection of illegal tax on Hayatabad Toll Plaza was not withdrawn forthwith, they would go for wheel-jam strike, and authorities were completely responsible for any inconvenience and incident.