MANSEHRA: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), backed by a heavy police contingent, on Saturday took possession of the central bus terminal after arresting dozens of members of the Hazara Transport Union to avoid any backlash.
“We arrested scores of transporters before initiating the operation to take back control of the central bus terminal after decades,” a police official told reporters.
A heavy police contingent carried out pre-dawn raids across the district, arresting dozens of office-bearers of the Hazara Transport Union and shifting them to undisclosed locations.
Police, however, did not confirm whether the union’s president, Jan Alam and general secretary Pervez Khan had been arrested or they had gone into hiding before the raids.
Later in the day, the police stormed the main
bus terminal, and officials of TMA Mansehra took control and deployed hawkers, booking and ticketing staff.
“The entire process of repossessing the bus terminal was completed peacefully, as drivers and staff engaged in ticketing, booking, and other duties did not offer any resistance and continued their work as usual,” the police official said.
Transport services continued uninterrupted, and passengers were transported to their destinations across the country as usual.
TMA officials said that the union had occupied the bus terminal for
decades and had been collecting tax and issuing route permits to transporters in violation of government laws.
“All tax falling under the jurisdiction of TMA were being collected by the union, causing financial loss to national exchequer, and the annual lease of the terminal could not generate revenue due to this illegal practice,” a TMA official said.
