Dual role: Peshawar Bus Terminal - a transit point for smuggled goods

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government is having trouble formulating legislation that would declare the Peshawar Bus Terminal as a strictly passenger rather than freight terminal.

The state-run terminal, a major transport stand linking Peshawar with the rest of the country, is located on 120 kanals of land on GT Road and has 36 sub-terminals for various types of vehicles.

Its primary purpose is to serve passengers, but it is also used for transporting large cargo, which is against the law.

The newly-appointed administrator of the Peshawar Bus Terminal, Ajmal Khan, said he has sent a letter to the provincial transport secretary Khalid Umerzai highlighting the flow of goods through the passenger terminal as illegal. He added he has apprised the secretary that strict measures should be taken against the violators.

Khan said a number of freight terminals were located in Peshawar, including Mushtarka Mohmand Goods, New Mushtarka Goods, Paracha Goods, Lahore to Peshawar Goods and Khattak Goods.



Shahid Ali, a transporter working at the terminal, complained the terminal’s administration was not allowing them to carry important luggage of passengers. However, he acknowledged some of the passengers carry items like tea and blankets in bulk which come under the title of ‘cargo’ and are thus not allowed transport from the terminal. He added the terminal’s administration was being paid Rs1,440 per trip on Lahore-bound vehicles.

“This administration was established by the previous government to take care of security issues, not to create restrictions for us,” said Ali, adding they have protested a number of times against the administration’s conduct for harassing passengers.

Another transporter, Muhammad Masood Afridi, lashed out at the government for allowing several private transport terminals in short distance of the Peshawar Bus Terminal, adding it was a violation of law.

Ajmal Khan, however, denied the transporters’ allegations and said the terminal administration comprised 46 officials, including 36 security personnel, who were carrying out their duties diligently. He also said the transporters should submit a written complaint over any security concerns they have.

A terminal administration official, requesting anonymity, said most representatives of transport associations and other transporters were involved in smuggling black tea, cloth and other goods.

Moreover, a senior official of the transport directorate, who did not want to be named, said the terminal was established to cater to passengers only but various goods were also being smuggled. The official added lack of legislation has delayed the formation of rules covering how much luggage should be allowed per passenger.

“The provincial government is trying to draft legislation for the terminal but it is a difficult process,” he said.

The official said transporters have come up with suggestions for introducing per kilogramme charges on extra luggage, adding that imposing tax is illegal according to transportation rules as it is tantamount to legalising an illegal act.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2014.