Rawalpindi, Islamabad transporters set for wheel-jam strike over soaring traffic fines

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], December 8 (ANI): Local public transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have announced a wheel-jam strike today, rejecting the administration's request to postpone their protest against a new traffic ordinance that significantly raises fines for heavy vehicles, Dawn reported.
The strike call came from the Punjab Public Transport Association.
Before the announcement, representatives from the association, along with the Goods Transporters Association, met City Traffic Police officer Farhan Aslam and Regional Transport Authority Secretary Asad Shirazi to discuss the issue.
Officials urged transporters to reconsider, but the appeal was turned down.
Shirazi said, "We tried to convince the transporters not to go for a wheel-jam strike, but they demanded to abolish the new amendments, and it was beyond our authority to do anything about it."
He added that provincial authorities had been informed of the demands and that negotiations would be held with the United Transport Association in Lahore.
Mutahida Transport Federation of Twin Cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Chairman Raja Muhammad Riaz told Dawn that rising fines had created severe financial strain for transport workers.
He said, "Transporters were facing problems due to heavy fines, and it was difficult to manage their household budgets."
"Heavy fines from PKR 5,000 to PKR 20,000 had become routine, and it destroyed their business," Riaz said, claiming the government was shifting its economic burden onto transport operators already dealing with high fuel and spare-part costs.
He demanded a substantial reduction in fines and an end to policies that "destroyed the sector."
According to Dawn, traffic police agreed during discussions not to impose penalties on vehicles that held valid fitness certificates.
President of the Goods Transport Association Shakeel Qureshi said freight and goods operators in Rawalpindi would join Monday's strike.
"We will join them in the decision of the Pakistan United Transporters Committee to strike on December 8," he said.
Qureshi added that transport bases would remain completely shut and criticised the new legislation, saying, "Amendments to the customs laws that will be made are tantamount to economic murder of transporters."
He further argued that authorities should consider stakeholder concerns before making policy changes, telling Dawn that decisions "should not be that decisions are made by listening to one side and making laws without consulting stakeholders."
Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) Rawalpindi district has extended support to the strike called by the Transport Action Committee over heavy fines.
Party spokesperson Hafiz Ziaullah said the new penalties imposed by Punjab authorities had made life harder, especially for low-income motorcyclists.
He urged the Punjab chief minister to "adopt a people-friendly policy and reduce the unnecessary and unfair burden of fines." (ANI)