CHITRAL: Chitralis travelling from Peshawar to their home district are being fleeced by the operators of the bus stands in the provincial capital. The passengers’ live are also put in danger as the buses are allowed to ply on the mountainous track during the night, which is not approved by the government.
Talking to Dawn, president of All Village Nazimeen Forum, Chitral, Sajjad Ahmed Khan said although the provincial transport department had fixed Rs460 as fare from Peshawar to Chitral for passenger coaches, but in practice it was Rs900.
He said there was a bus stand fixed for Chitral in the general bus stand in the provincial capital, but such stands had also come up in the Qissa Khwani Bazaar and the Charsadda Road, which are not approved by the government.
Sajjad Khan alleged that the operators of the bus stands charged exorbitantly for the luggage being carried by the passengers despite the fact that a passenger was allowed to carry luggage weighing up to 20kg for free.
