Goods transporters announce indefinite strike
The All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance has announced an indefinite nationwide strike after talks with the federal and Sindh governments failed to resolve their demands.
Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan made the announcement at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, saying transporters would keep their vehicles off the roads from August 8 until the government formally accepted their demands through official notifications.
Awan said a meeting held on Friday included senior officials from both the federal and Sindh governments, including the communications minister, communications secretary, National Highway Authority chairman, inspector general of motorways, Karachi commissioner, transport secretary, excise secretary and senior traffic officials. However, the talks failed to produce an agreement.
He said the alliance would observe a peaceful wheel-jam strike by parking trucks and trailers instead of blocking roads. However, he warned that transporters could move their vehicles onto roads if authorities tried to intimidate or arrest their leaders during the protest.
According to Awan, vehicles carrying import and export containers will continue operating until August 10 to allow cargo already in transit to reach its destinations.
The transporters have also formed a committee to negotiate with the government. Awan warned that if their demands were not accepted within two days, the protesters would march towards the governor houses in all provinces.
He said the committee would not negotiate with officials who had previously made commitments to transporters but failed to fulfil them.
Awan also called for the resignation of the federal petroleum minister, Punjab’s transport and mass transit minister and the Punjab senior minister.
Highlighting the financial pressure on the transport sector, he claimed that a single trailer pays around Rs2.4 million in annual toll taxes while transporters also face e-challans, adding to their difficulties.
He warned that the ongoing dispute could negatively affect the national economy and urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve the crisis.
Other transport leaders, including Malik Sher Khan, Ghulam Yasin and Nadeem Akhtar Arain, also attended the press conference.
Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association urged the Ministry of Petroleum to review the mechanism used to determine fuel prices. In a letter sent to the petroleum minister on August 7, the association’s vice chairman expressed concern over delays in implementing agreements reached between the government and petrol pump owners.
