January 11, 2003	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 7, 1423

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RAWALPINDI, Jan 10: The transporters continued their hunger strike for the second consecutive day, protesting against the franchise of route no 7.

Dozens of transporter were present at the camp near Pir Wadhai Chowk on Friday where their children were also taking part in the protest. The protesters have also lined up about 40 of their vehicles on both sides of the road.

The president of transporters’ association, Shabeer Hussain Bangash, and president Suzuki Union, Bismillah Khan, told Dawn that the district Nazim had betrayed their trust by first asking them to conditionally put off the strike almost a week ago, and then ignoring the issue totally.

They said the Nazim went abroad without caring for the livelihood of poor transporters for whom a day off meant facing a day of hunger.

The authorities are not interested in listening to the complaints of over 1,500 affected transporters against a private company, they added.

“It is better for us to die rather than to be deprived of our professions and businesses,” they said.

They maintained that it was in the best interests of commuters to be given a free choice to select a favourable transport facility. No one should be allowed to monopolise public transport routes, they added.

According to the transporters, no representative of the authorities concerned visited the camp to address their problems.

“It means that the country belongs to the elite.”

They said the transporters would also stage a protest demonstration during the scheduled visits of the prime minister and chief minister Punjab to Rawalpindi on January 12.

At their camp, the transporters have also kept a register in which people can express their views about the hunger strike and the effects of franchise of route no 7.