Transporters protest against fitness certificate system

Demand restoration of old regime for clearing commercial vehicles

RAWALPINDI: The transporters in Rawalpindi staged protest at Bagh Sardaran Chowngi No 4 against the private company employed by the government to issue fitness certificates of commercial vehicles.

Earlier, there were numerous complaints of corruption in issuing fitness certificates of commercial vehicles.

A modern vehicle inspection, certification station installed at Rawat near Radio Pakistan building started issuing fitness certificates to commercial vehicles in passenger and freight sector.

The protesting transporters were demanding restoration of the old system and announced to broaden the protest. Motor Vehicle Examiner officers of Rawalpindi were directed by Punjab Transport Authority to cease issuance of Fitness Certificates to Transport Vehicles in May this year.

The protest was held on the call o United Transport Federation Chairman Raja Muhammad Riaz in which Malang Khan, Muhamamd Ayub and other prominent transporters participated.

Addressing to the participants, Riaz said that the workshop  35km from Rawalpindi, it creates economic murder of small cars  and also it is the violation of law because rickshaws and small cars cannot come on GT Road. The protestors said there should be system like K-P and government should work with its own transport department by providing modern machinery instead of outsourcing to private company.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2019.