KARACHI: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan is set to arrive in Karachi on Monday to hold urgent talks with transport union leaders, just days before a nationwide transport strike planned for December 19. The move comes as pressure mounts on the government to resolve growing concerns raised by transporters across the country.
The meeting will take place at 4:00 pm at the transporters’ protest camp in Karachi and will involve a 12-member delegation of the Goods Transport Alliance. The talks aim to prevent what union leaders warn could be a complete halt of transport services from Khyber to Karachi.
Several major transport bodies including the All Pakistan Transport Federation, Inter-City and Inter-District Transport Unions, Goods Transport Association, and student and government employee pickup-and-drop services have jointly announced the strike. They are protesting against what they describe as excessive traffic fines, frequent challans, vehicle impoundments, and harassment by authorities.
According to union representatives, if their demands are not met, bus, wagon, rail, and intra-city transport services will be suspended nationwide. They further warned that the impact would extend beyond transport, affecting markets, business centres, factories, industrial units, petrol pumps, banks, government offices, schools, colleges, and supply chains.
Union leaders have made it clear that the strike will continue indefinitely until the government withdraws the new traffic challan and fine system.
Vice President and spokesperson Asif Khan, along with Lala Suhail and Tariq Khan, said the government has failed to honour previous commitments. After consulting multiple sectors, they decided to move toward a full wheel jam strike.
“On December 19, Pakistan will be shut completely shut,” the leaders warned.
With only days left before the planned strike, today’s negotiations are seen as a critical test for the government’s ability to ease tensions and keep the country moving.
