LAHORE: The ongoing nationwide transport strike expanded further as local transporters and oil tanker associations announced their full participation in the protest scheduled for December 8.
Transport bodies warned the government that operations at major ports in Karachi would be halted from Monday evening if their demands were not addressed.
According to Kaush Memon’s report, local transporters have aligned themselves with the strike call, while the Transport Association of Goods has also declared support, saying “December 8 will see a decisive show of strength.”
During a meeting with representatives of transport organizations, Tariq Gujjar said drivers in Punjab were being subjected to FIRs and their vehicles impounded under the pretext of enforcing the Motor Vehicle Ordinance amendments.
He announced that work at all Karachi ports would be suspended, adding that the government’s actions had “forced transporters into a strike.”
Shehzad Awan stated that thousands of FIRs had already been registered against drivers across Punjab and transport vehicles had been seized in police stations across the province. He alleged that all actions were being taken under instructions from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Senior vice-chairman of the Oil Tankers Association urged the Punjab government to stop “persecuting transporters,” while Khanzada Khan Mehsud appealed to authorities to save the transport sector from “economic collapse.”
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