Transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad Launch Strike Over Heavy Fines

In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, local transporters initiated a strike, opposing new traffic ordinances that increased fines. The protest, led by the Punjab Public Transport Association, gained support from various transport bodies. Authorities are in ongoing negotiations, aiming to resolve the deadlock amicably.

In a substantial move today, public transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad declared a wheel-jam strike, rejecting administrative pleas to defer their protest against a newly enacted traffic ordinance that intensifies penalties for heavy vehicles. The demonstration has been chiefly orchestrated by the Punjab Public Transport Association, as per Dawn's reportage.

Earlier, the association's representatives, together with the Goods Transporters Association, engaged in dialogue with City Traffic Police officer Farhan Aslam and Regional Transport Authority Secretary Asad Shirazi. Despite officials' urging for reconsideration, transporters remained steadfast in their protest, demanding the ordinance's repeal, which both Aslam and Shirazi indicated was beyond their purview. Notification has been sent to provincial authorities, and negotiations with the United Transport Association remain on the horizon in Lahore.

Voicing growing frustrations, Raja Muhammad Riaz, Chairman of the Mutahida Transport Federation of the Twin Cities, articulated the heavy financial pressure inflicted by the increased fines on transport workers. He highlighted how fines ranging from PKR 5,000 to PKR 20,000 are crippling business operations, compounded by soaring fuel and spare-part costs. Shakeel Qureshi, President of the Goods Transport Association, echoed these sentiments, affirming their participation in an upcoming broad-scale strike and denouncing the new customs-related legislation amendments.