President Asif Ali Zardari has exempted Shahadra residents from toll tax. The announcement was made by Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer while talking to the media here at the Governor's House on Tuesday. He said the President had taken the decision on an appeal of people of the area. He said that the President Zardari had also directed authorities to shift the toll plaza outside the city at the earliest.

He said people who had NICs would be eligible to avail the facility. Salmaan Taseer said PPP leaders Samiullah and Asif Hashmi had promised with people during electioneering that when the PPP would come to power, tax at the Shahdara toll plaza would be abolished. He added that the President, keeping in view peoples longstanding demand, had decided to withdraw the tax from Tuesday. PPP leaders Samiullah, Asif Hashmi, Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar, Farooq Ghurki and others were also present.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010