KARACHI, Oct 3: The Karachi Transport Ittehad, a major group of transporters, has given a call for a strike on Tuesday in protest against the frequent increase in petroleum prices and served an ultimatum on the government.

It has asked the government to reduce prices of diesel, otherwise, they would go on an indefinite strike after Ramazan.

The decision about the strike was taken at a meeting of the group, and representatives of all the allied bodies endorsed the strike call.

KTI chief Irshad Bokhari said the meeting was convened to review the decision about the strike after a KTI delegation met the chief secretary.

He said that the chief secretary assured the transporters that they would be paid outstanding dues in due course of time.

Mr Bokhari said the chief secretary asked the transporters to call off their strike before Ramazan in the public interest. However, in the emergency meeting of the KTI, all the bodies insisted on observing a strike for one day only.

He demanded of the government to consider reducing prices of diesel and other petroleum products as it had made the common man to suffer.

He warned that the KTI would go on an indefinite strike and close businesses if petroleum prices were not decreased.

He, however, said that in order to facilitate the people, it had been decided that the yellow cabs, taxis, and rickshaws would not be observing the strike, and they would continue to ply the roads.