PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Qaumi Jirga has announced to hold protest against the provincial government for failing to compensate them for the losses inflicted on them due to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.Addressing a press conference, Alamgir Khalil, Arbab Khizer Hayat, Khalid Ayub, Kashif Azam, Mohammad Afzal and Mujeebur Rahman said that BRT created problems for the traders and the project has divided the city into south and north. They said that delay in the project and repeated change in its design caused losses to the traders who wanted compensation and exemption from taxes.The Jirga members said that transfer and posting of the relevant officers was not the solution to the issue but the government should take action against those who have taken kickbacks amounting to Rs7 billion in the project. They also demanded the National Accountability Bureau to probe the BRT project instead of remaining silent spectator. They demanded the prime minister and Federal Board of Revenue to exempt them from taxes.They also criticised the government for blocking road for Heritage Trail Project and demanded its immediate reopening.They also rejected increase in gas and electricity tariffs and demanded a solution to the miseries of the underprivileged class.They demanded formulation of a plan for the compensation and exemption of property taxes for the traders to cover their losses. They warned to hold a series of protest rallies and to besiege the Parliament House if their demands were not met.bus driver gets bail: A local court on Sunday granted bail to a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus driver, who was arrested on charges of killing a woman while running the bus on trial basis over the corridor. The bail was granted by Magistrate on Special Duty, asking the accused driver to deposit two sureties worth Rs100, 000 each for his release on bail. As per the police report, the arrest was made on Saturday in Hayatabad after the deceased woman, Lubna’s husband filed a complaint about her death that occurred allegedly owing to the absence of grills around the corridor leaving gaps on either side. The resident of Charsadda, Lubna, who had been working in Hayatabad as a maid, was crossing the road when the BRT bus hit her, killing her on the spot. As work on the overhead bridges is not complete, the gaps on either side of the track in the corridor are being used by pedestrians to cross the road. The incident also led to the bus service suspension while the government has also summoned a report.Meanwhile, the woman was laid to rest in a graveyard in Peshawar. No minister or government official attended her funeral. “No elected representative attended the funeral. It shows the apathy of the so-called champion of change,” said a local after the funeral.
from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2UDmhrQ
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