Parasailing was restored at Khanpur dam on Thursday after a successful negotiation between the local administration and the boating association.
Earlier, the Tehsil Municipal Authority (TMA) sealed the whole parasailing point at Khanpur dam over non-payment of the fee/taxes by different service operators including boat-riders and parasailers.
The area assistant commissioner allowed de-sealing boats after successful negotiations with the boating association.
Sources said that Tehsil Chairman Raja Haroon Sikandar, social worker Shehryar Shah and others played a key role in restoring the recreational activities at Khanpur dam by playing the role of intermediaries between the TMA and the boating association.
During the talks, TMO Khanpur Syed Kamran Ali Shah and the boating association led by its president Raja Hanif Kayani worked out modalities for payment of tax arrears and upcoming fee and taxes.
During the talks, the TMO Khanpur assured to install benches, dust bins and public toilets at the Khanpur dam picnic point to facilitate tourists.
After successful negotiations, the TMA officials de-sealed boats at the Khanpur dam.
Earlier, the local boat operators and stall holders claimed that some people impersonating TMA officials collect taxes from them and issue them receipts. They said that the TMA instead of taking action against the fake officials sealed the whole paragliding point, depriving hundreds of people of their livelihood.
The local operators had said that a similar episode emerged in the past as well and they had to go to court with receipts after the TMA officials allegedly harassed them. The local operators said that the case was still pending in the court after the TMA declared the receipts fake.
The operators said that the TMA has turned a blind eye to the fake officials who collect the sum in the name of the TMA.
They asked why TMA was not taking action against these people?
They said that the TMA Khanpur was not authorized to collect the fee including the parking charges as, according to them, the area was owned by the Wapda and PWD. They said that due to the connivance of the TMA and police, illegal parking fee was being collected and illegal tax has been taken from people for bathing.
The boat owners said that they have licences and government departments have all the records. They said that they were being harassed by the TMA officials despite the payment of taxes. They said that the TMA was creating unnecessary hurdles, depriving thousands of people of their livelihood.
They said that summer was the season when tourists from all over the country visit the area and the local businesses boom as a result.
They said that "they pay taxes to the TMA. Whether or not, the receipts are real or fake, it is none of our business".
They said: "Those who are involved in this scam should be taken to task and the local administration and the TMA stopped teasing and harassing them.”
Boating Association President Raja Hanif had said that “We are fully cooperating with the district administration and the police but for unknown reasons, we are being harassed under one or the other pretext and their employment places are being sealed after imposing heavy fines on us.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2022.
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