Gujjar further alleged that officials from RTA Secretariat Highway Patrol Police routinely harassed transporters
LAHORE:
The Pakistan Mini Mazda Association and the All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association on Thursday announced a nationwide wheel-jam strike from August 8 against the government’s daily revision of petroleum prices, excessive fines and multiple issues affecting the transport sector.
The associations warned that the shutdown could severely disrupt imports and exports unless their demands were addressed before the strike begins.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Pakistan Mini Mazda Association Central President Tanveer Jatt urged the government to resolve the transporters’ concerns in advance, saying the planned strike would bring freight movement across the country to a halt.
He demanded that petroleum product prices be revised on a monthly, rather than daily, basis, and called for relief from toll taxes and “unjust fines”.
“The nationwide wheel-jam strike will begin on August 8, so we request the government to accept our demands beforehand because the strike will affect the country’s import and export business,” he said.
All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association President Chaudhry Owais Gujjar called for axle-load limits to be implemented strictly in accordance with the law, alleging that corruption had become rampant in the enforcement process.
He said transporters paid billions of rupees annually in toll taxes but received little in return, arguing that dilapidated roads were a major cause of traffic accidents.
Gujjar further alleged that officials from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretariat and the Highway Patrol Police routinely harassed transporters on the roads.
“They have become a dacoit force for us. They should perform their actual duties,” he said.
Transport leader Khalid Arain blamed the government’s policies for forcing transporters towards industrial action, saying transport operators in other countries were provided with facilities while Pakistani transporters faced the opposite situation.
He said transporters had received no compensation after militants set their vehicles on fire.
“We will park our vehicles. We pay advance taxes, but what facilities is the government providing us in return?” he asked.
Arain also alleged that uniformed officials mistreated drivers and imposed fines for overloading, saying police were primarily focused on issuing challans.
He maintained that overloaded vehicles should not be allowed on the roads, but said the government’s approach should be based on consultation rather than punitive enforcement.
“If the government sits down with us, these issues can be resolved within two hours,” he said.
