KARACHI: Cargo supplies from Karachi remained suspended for the fifth consecutive day on Friday as goods transporters continued their strike over a hefty increase in penalties on traffic rules violations on highways and motorways.

The transporters said that they had decided to halt the cargo supplies as a last resort after their repeated appeals failed to convince the authorities concerned about their “genuine concerns”.

The transporters paid millions of rupees in taxes and played a key role in keeping economic activities in perpetual motion but they were never taken into confidence by the government over the policies that affected them, they said.

“When we announced strike we were approached by Sindh governor who informed us about the federal government’s intention to hear our grievances,” said Agha Jawad Raza, spokesman for the United Goods Transporters Alliance, an umbrella of different bodies of goods transporters.

The federal government has recently approved revised rates of fines over traffic violations on highways. The Rs750 penalty, which was uniform for every type of violation, is now being raised and categorised. For example, for speeding, the fine will be Rs1,500 for motorbikes, Rs2,500 for cars, Rs5,000 for trucks and Rs10,000 for public service vehicles.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020