Rawalpindi - Public transporters went on strike and blocked a road at Raja Bazaar yesterday to stage protest against traffic wardens, accusing them of torturing drivers and issuing them fine tickets without any reason.

They chanted slogans against acting chief traffic officer and wardens and demanded of City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi to take notice of injustice of traffic wardens. Later, an inspector of city traffic police along with couple of wardens rushed to the scene and dispersed the protesting transporters.

According to details, a large number of drivers and conductors of Suzuki vans plying on different city routes gathered at Fawara Chowk and started protesting against the city traffic police for torturing a driver. They parked their vehicles in the middle of the road and blocked it for vehicular movement. As a result, the commuters suffered a lot.

Talking to The Nation, a van driver Nasir said he was stopped by a traffic warden Asim at Raja Bazaar and tried to issue him a ticket. He said upon arguing the warden hit him with helmet. He said CTP have been victimizing the poor transporters without any violation or crime.  Yasir Ahmed Abbasi, another driver, said wardens have started looting poor transporters by issuing chellans without any reason. He said wardens fined Rs 4000 to a Suzuki driver in four days which was injustice. The other drivers also said that wardens use abusive language against them, besides imposing heavy fines.

An inspector of CTP, who was not willing to tell his name, told The Nation the Suzuki drivers picked and dropped the passengers from no parking zones and police issued them fine tickers over this violation.

He said the transporters park their vehicles along roads causing traffic jam in Raja Bazaar. He denied the allegations of torturing any driver by any warden.

Acting CTO was not available for his comments.