The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association on Tuesday clarified that it would continue its ongoing strike after talks with the government ended without any breakthrough. Goods transporters launched an indefinite nationwide strike on Saturday against rising fuel costs, daily diesel price adjustments and a range of taxation and regulatory measures they say are increasing the burden on the transport sector.
In its declaration, the association's Awais Chaudhry said that their wheel-jam strike would continue until the authorities accept their demands. Talking about their negotiations with the authorities, Chaudhry said that Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan assured the solution of transporters' problems. He maintained that the talks could not reach a breakthrough, adding that the transporters would not give up their legitimate and legal demands under any circumstances. "We are ready to continue the negotiations with the government," he added.
The transporters said that their strike would continue until the demands are practically accepted. Meanwhile, sources privy to the matter claimed that a decision was made in principle not to increase toll tax for one year during the fourth round of talks. There was also an agreement not to increase the prices of petroleum products for a week or 15 days, the sources added.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Communications said Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan held talks with the transporters, adding that decisions reached during the two-day discussions were given final shape. The federal minister assured the transporters of providing maximum relief and early resolution of their complaints about weigh stations. State-of-the-art and minimum human resource weigh stations will be built on all motorways, the minister added.
"Goods transporters expressed their gratitude to Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and paid tribute to him for handling all matters effectively," read the statement. The federal government had invited representatives of the alliance for talks on Monday in an effort to resolve the dispute. Earlier negotiations between transporters and government representatives at the Commissioner's Office had failed to produce a breakthrough. Among their key demands, the transporters had called for a reduction in taxes on diesel and sought the restoration of fuel prices to their July 1, 2024 level.