KARACHI (Dunya News) – Goods transporters have announced that they will defer their nationwide strike for 40 days following negotiations with government representatives in Karachi.
The talks were held at the Governor House in Karachi and were attended by Sindh Governor Nihal Hashmi, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and All Pakistan Goods Transporters Association President Malik Shahzad.
Addressing a press conference after the negotiations, Malik Shahzad said the transporters had decided to defer the strike following government assurances.
He said the nationwide strike had continued for nine days and the Sindh government had assured them that the parking issue would be resolved.
He added that the government had sought 15 days to determine whether petroleum prices would be reviewed every 15 days or once a month.
According to Malik Shahzad, Abdul Aleem Khan also assured the transporters that a committee would be formed to review toll taxes and consider reducing them.
He said the government had also assured them that 10-wheelers would be allowed to carry an appropriate weight.
“Some of our issues have been resolved by the federal and provincial governments, while others require cabinet approval,” he said, adding that assurances had also been given to address those matters.
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He said meetings of the relevant committees would continue and expressed hope that the government would honour its commitments.
“We are not ending the strike; we are deferring it. If the assurances are not implemented, we may resume our protest,” Malik Shahzad said.
Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said the government had addressed the transporters’ issues that could be resolved immediately, while some demands required formal procedures.
He said several committees had been constituted to complete the necessary process.
Aleem Khan also said the Karachi-Hyderabad road did not qualify as a motorway in its current condition. He announced that work on a new motorway from Sukkur to Hyderabad and Karachi would begin this year.
Sindh Governor Nihal Hashmi said the regional situation was unusual and that the economic impact of ongoing conflicts was being felt not only in Pakistan but around the world.
He said the prime minister and field marshal were working to ensure that the positive outcomes of their efforts reached the public.
Hashmi added that the government and transporters had listened to each other and agreed that both sides were ready to make every possible sacrifice for the country.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the authorities had spent the day working to resolve the issues. He assured that the Sindh government would address matters falling within its jurisdiction and said efforts would continue to resolve the problems through dialogue.