KARACHI: Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced three percent increase in freight charges following an increase in petroleum prices.
Talking to media, the president of the transporters association, Malik Shehzad Awan, expressed his concerns over the government’s decision to raise fuel prices, stating that it has a direct impact on every Pakistani citizen.
He explained that rising fuel costs lead to an increase in transport sector expenses, making a rise in fares unavoidable. Awan further claimed that both the federal and Punjab governments’ policies are putting immense pressure on transporters.
The transport leader accused the government of trying to push transporters to the brink, while no serious efforts were being made to address their issues. He also noted that agreements made during the nationwide strike, involving the Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping and the Federal Minister for Communications, have not been implemented yet.
Similarly, promises made by senior Punjab ministers, including Marriyum Aurangzeb and the provincial transport minister, under the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Marym Nawaz, remained unfulfilled.
Awan warned that if the government did not immediately honour its commitments to transporters, a peaceful nationwide strike would be organized again, and the responsibility for any disruptions would fall on both the federal and provincial governments.
