Transport strike paralyses routine life

Posted on 9 months ago

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Public transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on the call of Pakistan Transport Welfare Association (PTWA) on Monday observed a wheel-jam strike against increase in petroleum prices and heavy fines by the traffic police.
The strike halted all routine activities of the citizens, students and government servants who faced immense difficulties to move from one place to another.
PTWA president Raja Ghulam Abbas and General Secretary Babu Rashid Nawaz said over 16,000 buses, wagons and Suzukis would remain off the roads. They said the strike would continue for an indefinite period.
They said the strike was being observed to press the federal government to withdraw recent increase in prices of petroleum products and the provincial government to decrease the rates of fines on traffic violations. He said three-day weekly CNG closure had already forced them to find other ways and means of earning.
The PTWA president threatened if their demands were not accepted, they would on for hunger strike and also besiege the President House. He said it had become impossible for the transporters to manage their businesses.
He said they had repeatedly requested Punjab Chief Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to play his role against increase in petroleum and CNG prices but the bureaucracy was creating hurdles and they had not been allowed to meet him.
“The provincial government should issue adjustable fare list,� he said, adding that the fares should be increased decreased with the petroleum prices.
President Taxi Drivers Association Aftab said they would continue the strike until their demands were met. He said the cab owners hardly managed to earn their bread because of the sky-rocketing prices of petroleum and CNG products.
A public transporter, Azim Khan, said the transporters were already suffering from losses due to increase in petroleum products. He said the federal government increased diesel, petrol and CNG prices by 10 per cent, whereas the Punjab government increased only Re 1 in the fares.

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