January 08, 2008	Tuesday	Zilhaj 28, 1428

HYDERABAD, Jan 7: The Sindh Goods Transport Owners Association on Monday warned of strike for an indefinite period if the government failed to pay the transporters compensation for their vehicles, which were torched by rioters during disturbances following the assassination of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27.

The transporter body, which met under its chairman Haji Asmatullah Khan Mehsood, said that like elsewhere in the country the transporters in Sindh suffered huge losses. Hundreds of trucks, trailers, cars, buses, banks, factories and public and private property were completely destroyed during the riots, the meeting said.

The meeting claimed that Sindh remained cut off from the rest of Pakistan from Dec 27 to Jan 5 and urged the government to open its eyes to what was happening to the federation.

The meeting said that the country had already suffered huge losses and they were loath to add to its problems by resorting to strike but they had no other option after their only source of income had been snatched.

The meeting advised the transporters to file their claims with the association within three days so that the details of losses could be sent to the government for getting compensation.