Transporters demand lower taxes and diesel prices, threaten wheel-jam strike from Aug 8

ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance on Tuesday declared a wheel-jam strike nation-wide from Aug 8, saying the disruption of the supply of essential items would be inevitable if the government did not meet its demands.

This was stated by the leaders of the alliance including President of All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association, Muhammad Owais Chaudhry Advocate, Malik Shafeeullah Awan and Malik Nisar at a press conference held at National Press Club.

The leaders said that the transport industry was suffering from an unprecedented financial crisis because of repeated hikes in diesel prices, increase in taxes and other steps by the government. They demanded reduction in taxes on diesel and lowering the price of fuel oil to the level prevailing on July 1, 2024.

Other demands included reduction in withholding tax for cargo transporters from seven per cent to 2pc since oil tanker operators were paying 2pc only.

The alliance also said that the provision of confiscation of the whole vehicle in case of finding any non-duty paid cargo in it in Finance Act 2026 was unjustified.

Criticizing the move as being an unjust one, the transporters demanded immediate withdrawal of the same and the return of the old system whereby the penalty system used to be imposed and vehicles released after that.

They also asked for uniform implementation of axle-load system in the entire country as overloading is to be checked inside the factories and warehouses and not on the roads, which have turned out to be sources of earning revenue through fines as alleged by the transporters.

Some other demands of the transporters include a simplified system of issuing heavy transport vehicle driver licenses, reduction of toll taxes and no daily change in the price of diesel. Transporters have demanded fortnightly or monthly revision in the price of the fuel.

President All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association Muhammad Owais Chaudhry stated that the new policies had made the drivers, small transporters and owners of the vehicles who were paying installment on the purchase of the trucks into tough times, making it difficult for them to run their businesses.

“We have been trying our level best to bring about change in the government’s policies through letter writing, meetings and through the media,” he added.

The transporters declared that unless the government starts negotiating with them and fulfills their demands, the strike would continue and no category of goods transportation such as cargo trucks, containers and oil tankers would ply on the roads from Aug 8 onwards.

However, the alliance leaders assured that their movement would be peaceful and the transporters would merely park their vehicles instead of blockading highways.

Malik Nisar cautioned that any delay in meeting the demands of transporters might have adverse impacts on imports and exports and transportation of essentials and the government would have to face the consequences.