Unfulfilled promises: Transporters’ strike continues for third day

The government is backing out of its promises, claim protesters.

KARACHI:

The goods’ transporters strike continued on Saturday for the third consecutive day, affecting shipment activities at the Karachi Port and Port Qasim.

The United Goods Transporters Alliance (UGTA), the apex body of goods transporters in the country, went on strike on Thursday to protest against the government. UGTA set up a camp at the Maripur truck stand and staged a demonstration at Mauripur Road.

“We are the highest tax payers in this country and the national exchequer has a big part of our taxes in its revenue,” said UGTA senior vice-president Hussain Soomro. “The government is trying to take as much as possible from the transporters and this is evident from by the 300 per cent increase in advance income tax.” He told The Express Tribune that their vehicles are being robbed in broad daylight on Mauripur Road and the highway. During these robberies, goods are stolen while the drivers are beaten up, claimed Soomro. He said that they were promised security on the Northern Bypass but the police have failed to set up check posts.



Soomro stated that the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) sold plots of their bus stands, which had been given to the transporters two decades ago. The private parties who purchased the land have removed their trucks from the stand located at Fisheries. “The KPT should give us our truck stand back and the Sindh government should provide us security at our stand and at the Northern Bypass,” he added.

UGTA press secretary Fazal Manan Jadoon told The Express Tribune that the strike will continue till their demands are met. Jadoon stated that the government should address their demands immediately since this strike is causing the country to lose out on millions in revenue as the transporters are not loading or unloading any shipments.

“Our demands are already recommended and approved by the government but have not been implemented. We don’t need to make any negotiations with the government anymore, we just want the government to act on what they have promised,” said Jadoon, adding that after Muharram 10, they will conduct protests throughout the country and cause a complete gridlock in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2013.