A transporter said that the government should intervene, otherwise things may
get out of hand. PHOTO: INP/ FILE
Goods transporters, who have been on strike for the last three days at the Karachi Port, threatened a nationwide strike if the government failed to meet their demands by Monday.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) and Industry announced support for the strikers on Saturday and asked the government to intervene immediately and settle the standoff.
The problem with transporters was that they pay loading and unloading charges to shipping companies in cash, which they say was not safe anymore. They refuse to carry cash in Karachi owing to the surging cases of street crimes. Instead, they said, that the shipping companies should accept pay orders – as good as cash.
Talking to The Express Tribune, a transporter said that the government should intervene otherwise things may get out of hand after Monday as more and more transporters are answering the strike call in other parts of the country.
KCCI President Muhammad Haroon Agar on Saturday demanded the government to intervene and take immediate notice of the transporters’ strike call.
He said that the strike was detrimental for the economy and the standoff should not be prolonged. He said the importers and exporters faced serious problems in December when a similar strike brought the whole country to a standstill.
Agar assured the delegation to contact the concerned authorities. He said that he has already personally brought the issue to the knowledge of the commerce minister and the commerce secretary in the Export Development Fund meeting held on January 31, 2013 in Islamabad for immediate intervention. Minister for ports and shipping was also informed about the situation, he added.
Agar urged the government to resolve the situation immediately as traders, business community and importers and exporters were also concerned because the 13-day strike episode in December cause3d colossal financial losses to them.
He also said that the shipping lines and agents involved in unfair and abusive business practices must be controlled by government regulatory authorities.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2013.
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1732486769-0/image-(8)1732486769-0-270x192.webp "lahore s smog lessons to be learnt")
what unfair and abusive practices are the shipping lines and agents involved in? surely it is the other way around with the transporters holding shipping lines, agents and traders hostage.