MANSEHRA: An enraged crowd set on fire the structure of a toll tax plaza before it could be installed on the Mansehra-NaranJalkhad Road in Bisian area of Balakot here on Thursday night.

`This toll tax plaza cannot be erected here as it is hardly 50 kilometres away from another toll point on the Karakoram Highway in Khatain Da Galla near Mansehra,` Liaqat Khassan, a member of the Balakot tehsil coun-cil, told reporters on Friday.

The crowd, including transporters, traders, and local community members, gathered in Bisian after a National Highway Authority team began installing the plaza to collect toll tax from motorists travelling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and GilgitBaltistan.

The protesters chanted slogans against the NHA and the government, condemning the move as an `attempt` to sabotage the tourism industry of Kaghan Valley and the rest of Balakot tehsil.

They also warned NHA officials against proceeding with the installation, stating that the Balakot Tehsil Municipal Administration had already passed a resolution barring toll tax collection at this location.`This is the fifth time locals have foiled an attempt to install this toll tax collection point.

However, NHA officials tried to set it up again under the cover of night,` Mr Khassan said.

He claimed that the NHA chairman and general manager were unaware of this attempt to install the plaza.

`NHA deputy director Javed Saifullah along with junior officials tried to establish this toll collection point, but locals peacefully sent them back and burnt the structure. The remaining equipment has been shifted to the Balakot police station using TMA vehicles,` Mr Khassan claimed.

He urged the NHA to avoid creating law and order issues by provoking locals with such actions.