Transporters Turn Down Govt’s Claims of Consensus
Sobia Sultan
While, the government claims that consensus decisions have been reached with All Pakistan Goods Transporters Itehad, but the striking transporters have turned down the official claims and announced that the heavy vehicles will remain off-road.
After the talks a statement has been issued by the Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Convener of the Committee constituted by the Prime Minister to negotiate with the transporters to call off their strike here on Tuesday.
The official statement stated that after the two-days of negotiations it has been decided to establish a Joint Monitoring Committee comprising Customs Authorities and Goods Transporters.
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It added that regarding axle-load issue, the truckers expressed their full support for the communication minister’s policy, stating that the issue should be controlled at its source through a uniform policy.
The meeting also deliberated on short- and long-term measures to address the issues being faced by transporters in dealing with Customs Authorities.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwaar, who participated in the meeting via video link, assured the transporters of immediate and full cooperation from his Ministry on matters relating to the Maritime Affairs.
Speaking at the meeting, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan directed the Authorities to promptly address the complaints of Goods Transporters regarding weigh stations. He stated that state-of-the-art weigh stations with minimal human intervention would be established on all Motorways.
While, senior officials of Federal Board of Revenue presented recommendations on the proposals submitted by the goods transporters.
The five-hour-long meeting also included detailed discussions between senior officials of the Ministry of Petroleum and representatives of the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Itehad, that includes representatives of edible oil tankers, petroleum oil tankers, container trailers, truckers and intercity goods carriers.
On the other hand the representing the Itehad – Malik Shehzad Awan, Nasir Jafri, Owais Chaudhry, Qamar-uz-Zaman, Bakhtawar Khan, Shabar Malik announced that talks between the government and goods transporters has ended without any breakthrough.
They announced that the nationwide wheel-jam strike would continue until their demands were accepted.
Muhammad Owais Chaudhry Advocate, spokesman of the Itehad said the transporters would not withdraw from their legitimate demands.
“We are ready to continue negotiations with the government, but the nationwide wheel-jam strike will continue until our demands are practically accepted,” he said.
”Now we have decided to move to our main protest camp in Karachi – the minister and other authorities will have to come to Karachi to talk to us,” Mr Chaudhary said.
. He added, “We do not want to play the traditional game of bureaucracy ‘committee – committee’, if they want to accept anything they should, if not clearly tell us to stop doing business.”
The transporters’ key demands included effective and uniform implementation of the legally prescribed axle-load limit, relief in taxes, revision of diesel prices on a monthly basis instead of frequent changes, and resolution of other issues confronting the goods transport sector.
