HARNAI: Petty contractors affiliated with coal mining business blocked Harnai-Quetta main highway near Khost area of district Harnai in Balochistan province on Saturday, pressing the authorities to withdraw 60 percent tax levied on coal mining business by the mining industry of Pakistan.

The contractors affiliated with the coal mining business held a protest demonstration on Harnai-Quetta main highway and blocked it for all kind of traffic. They demanded withdrawal of 60pc tax levied on the coal mining business.

Terming the imposition of the tax on the coal mining business as unjustified, contractor Molvi Abdul Sattar said on the occasion that the tax imposed by the mining industry was not acceptable to the petty contractors of district Harnai. He called on the authorities to withdraw the tax. Harnai-Quetta highway remained blocked till filing this report.