Minister to hold negotiations with transport unions in Karachi

Meeting to be held ahead of nationwide transport strike on December 19

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan is to arrive in Karachi on Monday to hold negotiations with a delegation from the Goods Transport Alliance ahead of the nationwide transport strike on December 19.

The All Pakistan Transport Federation, Inter-City Transport Union, Inter-District Transport Union, Goods Transport, and pickup-and-drop unions for students and government employees have announced a complete strike on December 19, to protest heavy traffic fines, challans, vehicle impoundments, and alleged harassment.

Transport federation leaders said that on December 19, goods and public transport from Khyber to Karachi will come to a standstill.

The meeting between the federal minister and the 12-member delegation is to start at 4pm today at the ongoing transporters' protest camp in Karachi.

Read: 'Pakistan will be completely shut': Transporters announce strike Dec 19

Bus, wagon and rail services, intra-city transport, markets, shopping areas, business centres, industrial units, factories, the banking sector, petrol pumps, government offices, educational institutions, wholesale markets, supply chains and goods transport will all remain closed, announced the Transport Unions.

They said the strike will continue until the new traffic challan and fine system is withdrawn.

Vice president and spokesperson Asif Khan, Lala Suhail and Tariq Khan said the government had not fulfilled any of its promises, and they were now moving towards a complete wheel-jam strike after consulting other sectors. "On December 19, Pakistan will be shut — completely shut," they said.