Transporters warn of nationwide strike over fuel hike

KARACHI: Malik Shehzad Awan, the president of Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance, has issued a strong condemnation over the government’s move to hike the prices of petroleum products, while issuing threats of a countrywide strike of transporters unless their demands are met.

In a press statement, Awan criticized the government for changing petroleum prices on a daily basis, as consultations with transport associations from all across the country are going on. He stated that there could be an announcement of a countrywide strike due to “anti-transport policies” of the government. “All transporters of Pakistan must be ready for a countrywide strike at any time,” he said.

The Goods Transport Alliance president said that repeated hikes in the prices of diesel fuel and faulty policies of the government are forcing transport business firms to close down. He further said that the difficulties of the transport sector have been ignored by the authorities, while asking all chambers of commerce and industries of the country to play their part in resolving the matter.

Awan has demanded the immediate rollback of the increase in toll taxes and withholding taxes, along with reduction in the charges of motorways and traffic fines.