KARACHI, Oct 13: An organization of transport operators has decided to keep their vehicles off the roads, fearing their burning or damage during the strike call given by religious parties for Monday.

The Karachi Transport Federation also gave a wheel-jam strike call for Oct 19, if petroleum prices were not reduced in accordance with the international markets.

A group of religious parties, under the auspices of the Pak- Afghan Defence Council, has given a call for strike on Monday, to protest the scheduled arrival of Colin Powell at Islamabad and protest over the US-British led bombing on Afghanistan.

The KTF, in a press release, said their vehicles were burnt during previous strikes and the government, which had always given assurances to compensate, never did so.

It said hundreds of vehicles had been burnt during violent strikes as transport operators always took their vehicles out on the roads during strikes on assurances by the government. It said the government always made promises to compensate in case of damage to any vehicle but never fulfilled its commitment.

It said that during the strike called on Monday, transporters feared that their drivers could be beaten and vehicles damaged as the government failed to provide them security.

They said that they did not want to take risk and keeping transport off the roads on Monday would be better in order to avoid any possible losses.

The KTF also said that at a time when petroleum prices were reduced in the international market, the government and the advisory committee of oil companies did not reduce petroleum prices within the country which was sheer injustice towards transporters and people alike.

It said that due to increase in petroleum prices every fortnight and escalation in the prices of spare parts, it had become very difficult and almost impossible for transport operators to continue their business.

The KTF warned that if POL prices were not reduced, they would go on a token strike on Oct 19, and if prices continued to remain high, they would call an indefinite strike.

The transporters’ body also criticized the government for supporting the West in the attack on Afghanistan and asked it to review its Afghan policy.