Relief goods transportation marred with issues

Just when talk of profiteering at the expense of flood affectees is rife, transporters have started charging an arm and a leg to carry relief goods to different parts of the country.

Inter-provincial transport fares have seen a drastic upsurge, with truckers citing poor travel conditions, longer commute times, and high demand as reasons for the increase. While it is true that the ongoing floods have severely damaged road infrastructure, particularly in interior Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), those trying to aid relief efforts contend that the steep fare prices are not justified.

One such resident of Lahore, Afrasiab, who was trying to send supplies to affectees, said that he could not find a single truck. “All of us friends have jointly raised funds and brough food, tents, and medicines, which we wish to send to Balochistan,” he explained, “but no transporter is willing to go to the province.” However, Afrasiab informed that those truckers who were convinced after constant back and forth and were then willing to go were demanding more than Rs 150,000.

Transporter, Nabil Tariq, when asked about the exorbitant rates said that they were not trying to benefit from a tragedy. “We are not charging excessive fares. We are only asking for the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance,” the trucker argued. However, when pressed over the allegations of some transporters exceeding Rs 100,000 they conceded it was the going rate. “Truck fare for K-P is up to Rs 100,000 but Mazdas charge 60,000,” informed Tariq sheepishly, adding that Balochistan rates were only high because it was difficult to ply the roads in the province in their present state.

While some are troubled by the excessive fares, other volunteers are concerned about the reliability of the transport itself. Sohail Qasim, who was assisting at a relief camp, while talking to The Express Tribune said that they had sent a truck of relief goods to Balochistan a few days ago, but the truck was in such a dilapidated condition that it could not keep its balance on the flooded road and overturned. “Hence, most of the relief items were wasted.” However, that does not mark the end of problems in transporting relief goods.

Malik Salim, another volunteer working at a relief camp, informed that they had sent four trucks of goods to Sindh so far, but the Sindh administration did not allow the trucks “to go to the areas we wanted to because the water level is too high.” Pakistan Goods Transporters Association, President, Aleem Butt, when asked about trucks being stopped, said that it was true that the provincial administration was stopping relief trucks because most of Sindh was still flooded. “We dispatched more than 30 trucks but near Kashmore the administration stopped them from going further. Only vehicles with Pakistan Army stickers were allowed to go a little further.

The transport situation in Balochistan is even worse,” said Butt. Even though there are hurdles like high costs and transport routes being cut off, Salim, the relief camp volunteer, is hopeful of having the relief items delivered to far flung areas. “People have been providing aid to the flood victims with great enthusiasm for the past few days and we will make sure it reaches,” the volunteer told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2022.