MUSTAFA MUGHAL
DI Khan: A new wave of protests and public outcry has erupted over the proposed establishment of a toll plaza on the Indus Highway near Gomal University, located within the jurisdiction of Tehsil Prova. Political leaders, social activists, legal experts, and local citizens have strongly condemned the move, calling it unjust, illegal, and a burden on the already struggling public.
Simultaneously, clarifications have emerged from local political figures claiming the project is part of the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) policy, not a political initiative.
The proposed toll plaza has triggered memories of a similar attempt during the previous PPP government, which was later dismantled after public protests. President of Aiwane-e-Zarat Dera Ismail Khan, Haji Abdul Rasheed Dhap, said via telephone from Murree that this move is “anti-farmer, anti-public, and economically suffocating,” especially at a time when inflation, drought, and tax burdens have already made life unbearable for landowners and small farmers. He warned that if elected representatives were not involved, they should take immediate steps to halt the plan; otherwise, mass protests would follow.
Rai Zain Khan Kharl, District Chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), condemned the toll plaza as a direct economic attack on the residents of Tehsil Prova. He stressed that toll plazas are always built on district boundaries—not within urban populations. “People are already suffering without access to clean drinking water, facing hours-long power outages, and poor road infrastructure,” he said. TLP has warned that if the plan is not canceled, they will block the Indus Highway and exercise their democratic right to protest.
From Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Sardar Idrees Khan Baloch, General Secretary of Tehsil Prova, declared complete rejection of the toll plaza and criticized the alleged involvement of political families, particularly Fatehullah Khan Meenakhel (current MNA) and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, accusing them of repeating past injustices under the guise of NHA policy. He added that lawyers’ associations are standing firm against this initiative, and the public will support them.
Former Tehsil Nazim, Ismail Khan Baloch, also denounced the toll plaza, labeling it as an unjust move by the federal government. He claimed that Faisal Karim Kundi, during his time as MNA, had attempted a similar move, which was defeated by public and legal pressure. Now, with Fatehullah Meenakhel’s alleged collaboration, the same tactic is being repeated.
PTI Tehsil Prova leader and farmer councillor Malik Ihsanullah Noon termed the toll plaza as a “bandit tax” and said it would not be allowed under any circumstances. He accused the federal government of crushing the agricultural economy of the region under unjust taxation policies.
In a significant legal development, renowned lawyer and President of Tehsil Bar Association Prova, Sardar Amanullah Khan Gormani Advocate, filed a case in Prova Civil Court against the toll plaza. The court has issued a stay order, halting further progress on the project. Advocate Gormani emphasized that protecting public rights has always been his mission, and he will continue to fight for the people of Prova.
JUI Tehsil Prova leader Sardar Shahid Latif Bhandri also strongly opposed the toll plaza, calling it “economic murder.” He announced a public meeting after the 10th of Muharram, bringing together political leaders, lawyers, traders, and civil society to decide the next course of action.
Public and civil circles have also raised concerns. They argue that toll plazas are usually placed at district boundaries, not within urban or university areas. Residents, already purchasing drinking water and suffering infrastructure neglect, consider this toll plaza as yet another form of exploitation. Many warned that if the toll plaza is not withdrawn, the Indus Highway will be blocked in protest.
Amid this growing public outrage, Malik Farooq Ahmed, a close aide of MNA Fatehullah Meenakhel and Tehsil Chairman Fakharullah Meenakhel, issued a clarification statement. He said:
“False information is being spread on social media blaming elected representatives. This toll plaza is part of NHA’s new national policy, which mandates a commercial toll plaza every 50 kilometers. Local transport, whether personal or commercial, will be exempted from toll tax. Only long-distance transport like trucks and containers will be taxed.”
He urged the public to avoid falling for false propaganda and clarified that no political figure is involved in the project.
The Gomal University toll plaza project has become a flashpoint of legal, political, and public unrest in Dera Ismail Khan. With a court-issued stay order, political tensions, and civil resistance, the fate of the project hangs in the balance. Whether the NHA will backtrack or push forward remains to be seen, but for now, Tehsil Prova stands united in opposition.
