PESHAWAR: The imposition of tax on light vehicles and enhancement of levy on Afghanistan-bound vehicles at the toll plaza on Ring Road near Hayatabad has infuriated the transporters, who have threatened to observe wheel jam strike against it.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, All Mushtarka Transporter Trailersand Trucks Owner Association president Haji Mohammad Yousaf said that the toll tax was initially imposed on the Afghanistan-bound vehicles but Peshawar Development Authority had starred collecting it from local transport too.

Besides, he said, tax was also collected from light vehicles that made life of local people miserable.

He said that Rs50 was collected for a light picleup vehicle, Rs100 from a trolley, Rs200 from a truck and Rs500 was collected from a multi-axils trailer as toll tax.

Mr Yousaf said that all the taxes were imposed in November 2016 but the transporters negotiated with relevant officials for their withdrawal.

`We tried repeatedly to holdmeeting with PDA director general but he did not give us time to hear to our grievances,` he added.

The transporter said that imposition of tax by PDA on trucks, carrying food and non-food items, was not acceptable to them. He said that a large number of local vehicles had to pay for crossing the plaza on daily basis.

Mr Yousaf said that the tax was not only imposed on Afghan Transit Trade carriages but also on local transport vehicles against in violation of a verdict of Peshawar High Court.

He said that tax was collected by local authorities from transporters at four different toll plazas while coming from Peshawar Adda to Hayatabad. He said that the additional tax was not acceptable tothem. `It should be immediately withdrawn,` he added.

The leader of transporters recalled that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had also issued directives about immediate withdrawal of illegal t ax being collected at Hayatabad toll plaza.

He said that the directives were not implemented.

`A Punjab-based company is teasing transporters through various tactics. It must be stopped, said Mr Yousaf.

He said that insurance certificate was made mandatory prior to registration of a vehicle. He opposed unilateral decisions taken by PTA and RTA.

The transporters threatened to observe wheel jam strike if the tax was not withdrawn.