LARKANA: The members of Chingchi Motorcycle Rickshaw Labour Union have accused Larkana’s traffic police of highhandedness and extortion while talking to newsmen here on Wednesday.

Their president Ali Nawaz alias Khaji Chandio, Ali Dost Chandio, Bandah Ali Umrani, Noor Chandio and others held a protest demonstration at Jinnah Bagh and chanted slogans against the cops. They alleged traffic sergeant Imdad Shikah demanded between Rs500 to 600 to enter the city. They said inflation and unemployment has already ruined their lives hence they are unable to pay him illegal gratification to enter Larkana city to earn livelihood.

Imdad Shaikh, on the other hand, said that the union leaders are blackmailing him as he is not in the post of traffic sergeant. He said since the past two years some major roads have been made one-way to ensure smooth flow of traffic but these chingchi drivers are constantly violating traffic rules and most of them are riding without proper driving licenses and other essential documents.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that over 50,000 3-wheel motorcycle rickshaws and motorcycle loaders are operating in Larkana district most of them driven by inexperienced and child drivers having no knowledge of traffic laws which cause tremendous hardships for the citizens apart from frequent accidents. The Sindh Transport Department have written several letters to the SSPs in Sindh asking them not to allow these vehicles ply on the roads as these have been banned by the court but no action has so far been taken as it is alleged these are also a source of earning for the traffic police. Road accidents and traffic jams due to their zigzagging and fast driving have become common in every town of the province due to which these 3-wheelers have been banned in Karachi but they continue to operate elsewhere.

Former MRD convenor Hussain Bux Narejo, Syed Sikander Ali Shah Rashdi and others said that they have become a menace as they park their vehicles wherever they like without considering that it will create problems for others. They said in Naundero also they enter the bazaar regularly causing troubles for the womenfolk and children. They said that bikers have also taken to the bazaar and there seems to be nobody to halt them and traffic cops are only busy extracting money from them which has created a havoc-like situation.

They demanded that the 3-wheelers should be confined from farm to main roads only and they should not be allowed to run on main roads or enter cities or towns to prevent violation of traffic laws and ensure smooth flow of traffic.