Traffic on KKH remained suspended for fourth consecutive day

Transporters from Kohistan and Gilgit Baltistan continue strike against the convoy system.

KOHISTAN: The transporters from Kohistan and Gilgit Baltistan continued their strike against the convoy system for the fourth day in a row suspending flow of traffic on Karakurum Highway between GB and rest of the country here on Sunday.

The Kohistan Transport union and Baltistan Transport union representatives have through a joint decision announced wheel jam strike against the convoy system on the KKH by the administration.

Under this system over 50 passenger buses and vans are allowed to move in convoys only at 8 am every day from Dassu side of the Kohistan while the transport coming from GB side is allowed by the police towards Rawalpindi at 7 pm daily exposing hundreds of passengers including women and children to tiresome wait and travel problems owing to lack of hotel and lodging facilities on the KKH which is the only land route between Sust border and rest of Pakistan via GB.

The transporters opposed this policy as they claim it was not suffice to provide security to the passengers and instead exposing the passengers to harms. They approached the administration of Kohistan and GB requesting them to change the policy but after their refusal they went on strike and announced to continue their strike for indefinite period unless their demand of end of convoy system was met.

Following wheel jam hundreds of people wanting to travel to GB or down country have been stranded in Rawalpindi, GB and Kohistan.

The government had introduced the convoy system during 2012 after the killing of 17 Shia Muslims travelling by a passenger buses bound for Gilgit.