July 07, 2008	Monday	Rajab 3, 1429

KARACHI, July 6: Several organisations of transporters have announced a wheel-jam strike on Thursday against the frequent increase in the oil prices and the government’s alleged indifferent attitude towards their demands.

One of the organisations has threatened to raise public transport fares from July 17.

The Karachi Transport Ittehad has convened an emergency meeting of major transport organisations on Monday to chalk out a strategy for the strike.

A joint meeting of the Karachi Transport Action Committee and the Anjuman Ittehad-i-Bus Malkaan was held on Sunday under the chairmanship of Ashraf Banglori. The meeting noted that the traffic police had started subjecting the public transport vehicles to fines on flimsy grounds and slowed down the process of issuing fitness certificates for transporters’ vehicles. It alleged that such tactics were aimed at forcing transporters to call of the strike.

Mr Banglori said that the Sindh governor, chief minister and transport minister had been informed through a communication sent on July 3 that the frequent increases in the oil prices over the past few months had pushed up petrol and diesel rates by almost 30 per cent and this had put the transporters in a deep trouble. The transporters, he added, had also attached a set of proposals to deal with the situation. However, he said the government had not responded to the proposals as yet. “It seems that the government is not interested in mitigating the sufferings of transporters and commuters,” he observed.

Meanwhile, the National Transport Ittehad held its meeting on Sunday with Saleem Bangash in the chair.

The meeting decided to observe a wheel-jam strike on Thursday, announcing that all buses, minibuses, rickshaws, taxis, yellow cabs, inter-city and inter-provincial passenger buses and goods carrier vehicles owned by NTI members would keep their vehicles off the road on that day.

The meeting noted that transporters could no more continue with their business at the old rates of fares and transportation charges.

It was pointed out that more than Rs11 per litre increase had been effected in the diesel prices in the past three months but the government was not allowing them to raise the fares.

The meeting decided to raise the fares and transport charges arbitrarily if the government did not respond to the transporters’ demand for a suitable raise in fares even after the strike.

Chief of the Karachi Transport Ittehad Irshad Bokhari has said that his organisation would chalk out on Monday a strategy for the strike. He condemned curtailment of subsidy on oil and shifting of the entire burden to the operators of public transport vehicles and the general public.

Minister’s assurance

Sindh Minister for Transport Akhtar Hussain Jadoon has urged transporters to call off the July 10 strike, assuring them that the government would meet their all genuine demands, adds PPI

His assurance came during his meeting with KTI chief Irshad Bokhari who called on him along with representatives of several other organizations of transporters. Transport Secretary Rasheed Alam was also present.

Mr Jadoon maintained that strike was no solution to a problem, adding that the genuine demands like increase in fares would be considered by the government. He said all issues could be resolved through mutual consultation.

Mr Bokhari apprised the minister of the problems being faced by transporters. He alleged that the traffic police personnel posted at almost all pickets extorted drivers of public transport vehicles. He pressed the transporters’ demanded for an early decision for a realistic increase in fares. He also suggested withdrawal of the recent raise in oil prices.

General Secretary of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association Ashiq Niazi told the minister that every vehicle operated by transporters was paying Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 per month at the Toll Plaza in lieu of toll tax, adding that the government should decrease the toll tax and also cut import duty on tyre.

Sindh-Balochistan Bus Owners Association leader Bashir Ahmed Halimi said that the sanitary conditions at the Yousuf Goth Bus Terminal on the RCD Highway were poor. He also complained of a surge in robberies along the highways.

The minister held out the assurance that the government would try to find an early solution to their problems. He said he had already received complaints against the traffic police personnel and that the complaints would be forwarded to the chief minister and home minister for appropriate action.

Mr Jadoon said he would visit the RCD Highway bus terminal on Monday. He also issued directives to the traffic police personnel not to indulge in illegal practices.

The minister, however, failed to persuade the transporters to call off the Thursday strike.