Ex-lawmaker to move court against toll tax collection

MANSEHRA: A former lawmaker has announced to challenge the resumption of the toll tax collection at Khatain Da Galla on Karakoram Highway.

“The National Highway Authority (NHA) is receiving toll tax at three points falling hardly within seven kilometres. It is illegal and injustice with the people of this district,” said a former opposition leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Shahzada Gustasap Khan while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.

Flanked by his lawyers Mohammad Anwar Khan Lughmani and Mohammad Saleem, he said the NHA had stopped the toll tax collection at Khatain Da Galla after a violent protest by the people. Transporters, traders and civil society members had taken to the streets against the levy at this point almost a decade ago and two people, including an inspector, were killed during the protest.

“The NHA restarted toll tax collection last month at Khatain Da Galla even after two more toll tax points - Qalandarabad and Badra Interchanges – have been set up on the Hazara Motorway, which falls hardly within seven km radius. It is against existing laws and governing morality,” said Shahzada Gustasap.

The lawyer, Mohammad Anwar Khan Lughmani, said a panel of lawyers led by him was going to move a petition in the Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Circuit Bench.

“The toll tax is a direct form of levy. How can the NHA collect it from people thrice in hardly a radius of three kilometres?” he asked.