Goods transporters postpone strike for 40 days in ‘broader national interest’

The goods transporters on Sunday announced that they would postpone their strike for 40 days in the “broader national interest”. The goods transporters had announced a countrywide wheel-jam strike on Aug 8 after talks with the government failed over the daily fixing of petrol and diesel prices, among other issues. A crucial round of talks between senior federal and provincial government officials and transporters’ representatives was scheduled to be held at the Governor House in Karachi today to resolve the issue, after negotiations between the two sides ended without a resolution on Tuesday. All Pakistan Goods Transport Ittehad President Malik Shehbaz Awan said the association had decided, after consultations, to postpone the strike for 40 days in the “broader national interest”. “Some of our issues have been resolved immediately. For those requiring cabinet approval, 15 to 20 days have been given,” he said. He added that meetings between the government and transporters’ committees would continue. “We have been assured that overloading will be controlled in accordance with the law on axle loads,” he said. He asserted that the peaceful protest had not been stopped anywhere during the nine-day period. “Our 50-member committee had called for the strike,” he said. Meanwhile, speaking to the media, Sindh Governor Nihal Hashmi said both sides — the government and transporters — had “generously agreed with each other’s points of view”. “Pakistan is facing an extraordinary situation,” he said. Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan said the government had succeeded in resolving many of the transporters’ issues. “Some issues will take time to resolve, and committees have been formed to address them,” he said. He hoped that the issues that remained unresolved would be settled in the near future. “We will continue with the same spirit that is being demonstrated for Pakistan.” Among the key demands of the transporters is the uniform enforcement of axle-load limits across the country and permission for 10-wheel vehicles to carry up to 35 tonnes. They have also demanded reductions in diesel prices and toll taxes, besides seeking relief in withholding tax to ease the financial burden on the transport sector. The transporters have also called for the withdrawal of customs provisions that, according to the association, allow authorities to confiscate vehicles carrying goods found to be in violation of customs laws. Other demands include the withdrawal of the Punjab Highway Patrol’s powers to issue challans to commercial vehicles, an end to what the association described as unnecessary challans and excessive fines on motorways and highways, and measures to facilitate the issuance of heavy transport vehicle licences to drivers.