Closed for business: Qingqi drivers protest ban on rickshaws
Police disperse demonstrators through baton charge, arrest 150 drivers.
Qingqi rickshaw drivers protest against the ban on their vehicles saying they are willing to go through the legal process, but are not receiving any guidance. PHOTO: ONLINE
DI KHAN:
Qingqi Rickshaw Union and National Labour Federation held a joint protest against the ban on Qingqi rickshaws in DI Khan on Friday.
Demonstrators walked from Traffic Chowk via General Post Office to Dr Abdul Qadir Chowk, where they blocked the Circular Road for all kinds of traffic.
“For the past 20 days, 400 Qingqi rickshaws have been kept at DI Khan Police Lines; this means the source of earning for 400 poor families has been taken away,” said President of Qingqi Rickshaw Union Aqil Damra, while addressing the participants. Damra added that during former president Pervez Musharraf’s era, these rickshaws were given to them by the National Bank of Pakistan under the Rozgar Scheme, but the present government is now depriving them of their livelihood.
Damra said they cannot understand on what grounds the government is terming their rickshaws illegal. He added that they are willing to go through the legal process, but are not receiving any guidance.
DI Khan police later dispersed protesters through baton charge and at least 150 rickshaw drivers, including Damra, were arrested and taken to different police stations.
On Thursday, Qingqi drivers held a meeting in the city and demanded the district government provide them route permits everywhere within DI Khan, and for all public transport stands to be shifted outside the city. They warned of protests in case their demands were not met.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.
Qingqi Rickshaw Union and National Labour Federation held a joint protest against the ban on Qingqi rickshaws in DI Khan on Friday.
Demonstrators walked from Traffic Chowk via General Post Office to Dr Abdul Qadir Chowk, where they blocked the Circular Road for all kinds of traffic.
“For the past 20 days, 400 Qingqi rickshaws have been kept at DI Khan Police Lines; this means the source of earning for 400 poor families has been taken away,” said President of Qingqi Rickshaw Union Aqil Damra, while addressing the participants. Damra added that during former president Pervez Musharraf’s era, these rickshaws were given to them by the National Bank of Pakistan under the Rozgar Scheme, but the present government is now depriving them of their livelihood.
Damra said they cannot understand on what grounds the government is terming their rickshaws illegal. He added that they are willing to go through the legal process, but are not receiving any guidance.
DI Khan police later dispersed protesters through baton charge and at least 150 rickshaw drivers, including Damra, were arrested and taken to different police stations.
On Thursday, Qingqi drivers held a meeting in the city and demanded the district government provide them route permits everywhere within DI Khan, and for all public transport stands to be shifted outside the city. They warned of protests in case their demands were not met.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.