Deadlock over rates with transporters persists, casts doubts over wheat distributions in Thar

Transporters, government fail to agree on a rate to transport the wheat, clear arrears. Strike continues.

Transporters threatened to suspend operations on public routes as they emerged from an inclusive meeting on Saturday with government officials over wheat transport rates and payment of arrears raising fears over wheat distribution in Thar.

An on going transport strike entered its second day as talks on rates for transporting wheat fell through. Transporters claimed that the government owes them Rs62.3 million in fare in addition to a deadlock on the rate for transporting wheat.

Samad Malkani, part of the transporter's delegation who met with deputy commissioner Asif Ikram on Saturday, said the meeting ended without any outcome.

"The DC also did not agree to the rate we demanded," he said, revealing that the transporters wanted the government to pay them a rate of Rs4 per kilometer for every bag that they transported. The DC, Malkani said, wanted them to halve this rate. The meeting ended with both sides failing to agree on either a rates or payment of arrears.

Abdul Raheem Rahimon, another transporter who was part of the transporter's delegation to meet the DC, said they asked the government to clear their dues within two days after which public transport will be suspended.

Meanwhile, the DC claimed that wheat distribution will remain unaffected despite the transporters boycott.

"The process is going on without interruption and so far we have given away over 100,000 wheat bags."