The All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced a nationwide strike, with loading operations suspended across the country from today.
President of the All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance Malik Shahzad Awan said that loading has been completely halted and that goods transportation services across the country are heading toward a complete shutdown.
Speaking to a private television channel, Malik Shahzad Awan said transporters had been informing the government of their concerns and the possibility of a strike for some time.
He said the government contacted the transporters two days before the strike was announced, while talks were also held with the Sindh government, but the negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
He said the federal and provincial governments were not taking the transporters’ concerns seriously. According to him, vehicle loading has been suspended from today.
Trucks already on the road will continue to Karachi, but no new vehicles will be loaded from Karachi Port or Port Qasim.
Malik Shahzad Awan said the transporters’ primary demand was the reversal of the policy of changing petroleum product prices on a daily basis, along with a reduction in fuel prices. He said that if the government could not reduce fuel prices, it should lower withholding tax and toll taxes instead.
The president of the alliance said the communications minister had made it clear that withholding and toll taxes could not be reduced. He added that transporters were also demanding the resignations of ministers who had made written commitments to address their concerns.
He warned that the strike would continue until the transporters’ demands were accepted by the government.
