Safari park management fleecing visitors

Karachi: The Safari Park management is fleecing the visitors by selling the entry tickets at Rs 5 for both elders and children as against the government approved rates of Rs 2 and Rupee 1 for elders and children respectively.

This was revealed during a surprised visit of Safari park by the newly appointed additional district officer (ADO), Dr Farid Qadri on the complaints lodged by the citizens on Thursday.

However, the ADO had to pay the price for his action immediately as he was immediately transferred on Friday by the city government high-ups, who had allegedly been receiving share from the fleeced amount for last one year.

City government sources told Online that the Safari park management had been involved in various irregularities for last one year, which has turned the park into a deplorable condition.

Two weeks ago, the city nazim Mustafa Kamal had directed the authorities concerned to minimize the chair-lift fare from Rs 90 to Rs 25 but still the visitors are being charged the old rates, sources added.

The former city nazim, Naimatullah Khan had approved Rs 2 for elders and Rupee 1 for children and awarded the contract to a private contractor, however after dissolution of his government, the safari park management and the contractor increased the charges without any approval, sources said.

They said that some top city government officials were involved in the scam, had used their influence to get the ADO transferred.

On the other hand, the district officer community development department of the city government termed the raid conducted by the ADO " illegal" adding that the latter had no right to do that.

He insisted that the contractor was selling the tickets as per government rate.