Transport strike called off; normal services resume, easing travel concerns for commuters

KARACHI: After four days of disruption that left commuters struggling to find transportation, Karachi’s public transport strike has officially ended following successful negotiations between transporters and city authorities.

The Karachi Transport Ittehad announced the end of its wheel-jam strike on Sunday after holding talks with the Karachi commissioner. As a result, buses, minibuses and coaches are expected to resume normal operations across the city from Monday.

The transport alliance delegation, headed by President Haji Tawab Khan and Secretary-General Muhammad Ilyas, met with the commissioner to discuss key concerns, including vehicle insurance policies, biometric requirements, and what transporters termed excessive fines and enforcement actions. According to the alliance, several issues were resolved during the meeting, while matters requiring decisions from the Sindh government will be taken up in future discussions.

Following the negotiations, member organisations of the Karachi Transport Ittehad convened a meeting at their Akbar Road office and unanimously agreed to call off the strike.

Addressing the media, Haji Tawab Khan confirmed the decision and thanked both passenger and goods transport operators for their support throughout the protest. He stated that some long-standing issues had been addressed immediately, while authorities requested additional time to resolve concerns under the provincial government's jurisdiction.

Khan also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the public, acknowledging the difficulties faced by thousands of commuters who rely on public transport daily. He said the protest became necessary due to mounting operational challenges and heavy penalties imposed on transport operators.

The four-day strike had severely impacted mobility across Karachi, particularly affecting low- and middle-income residents who depend on public transport to travel to work, educational institutions and markets.

With services set to resume, both transport representatives and city officials expressed optimism that ongoing dialogue would help avoid similar disruptions in the future and contribute to improving Karachi’s public transport system.

The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including the Secretary of Transport, Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), DIG Traffic, Director of Excise, Deputy Commissioner Keamari and other relevant authorities.