October 29, 2002	Tuesday	Sha’aban 22,1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

QUETTA, Oct 28: Balochistan remained cut off form rest of the country on Monday as transporters observed wheel-jam strike throughout the province demanding reduction in petrol prices and action against highway robbers.

The strike call was given by Balochistan Bus Federation and other organizations of transporters. Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement supported the call.

The federation, which had earlier announced to continue the strike indefinitely, called off its protest in the evening after negotiations with Home Secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai.

A spokesman for the federation said the government had released over a dozen transporters, who had been arrested on Monday from different areas, including Quetta, Khuzdar and Hub.

He said the government had assured the transporters that their problems would be resolved and the federal government would be approached regarding oil prices.

In the city, local buses were off the road while rickshaws, taxis, cars and Suzuki pick-ups plied on the roads.

However, the people faced problems due to the strike.

The supporters of the striking transporters pelted stones on vehicles in some areas of the provincial capital and the windshields of some vehicles were smashed.

Law enforcement agencies, including police, patrolled important roads and arrested over a dozen people from different areas.

In other areas of the province, stone pelting on vehicles took place but no major untoward incident was reported.

The transporters blocked the national highways linking areas of the province with Sindh and Punjab.

No passenger coach, bus or other transport could leave or arrive from other areas.

The striking transporters had blocked all entry points along the border of Balochistan.

Thousands of people faced difficulties due to the strike and heavy rush of passengers was seen on trains. However, a larger number of people could not travel according to their schedule due to non-availability of seats.

The transporters were demanding that the government should take steps for stopping robberies on national highways, which they said had become order of the day.

They also demanded reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel, halt to issuance of new route permits and improvement of roads.

The government had deployed heavy contingents of police and Balochistan Reserve police at important points to avert any untoward incident.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)