KARACHI, Feb 21: A major group of transporters – Karachi Transport Ittehad – on Tuesday gave a strike call for March 2, in protest against increasing diesel prices and non-payment of outstanding dues to transporters by the government.

The KTI in its meeting decided that all buses, minibuses, and coaches would observe a strike to protest injustices meted out to them by the Sindh government. In a press release, KTI Chief Irshad Bokhari said that the meeting of member transporters and allied bodies observed that the oil prices in the international market had been perpetually on a decline for the past four months, but the government had not reviewed the prices so far.

He said that the vehicles of transporters were hired by the government during the local government elections but the payment amounting to Rs3,623,468 was still outstanding. He pointed out that there was no provision in the rules and regulation that minibuses and coaches would be painted in a specific colour. However, the traffic police had refused to issue fitness certificate to those vehicles, he deplored.

Mr Bokhari said that the KTI had observed two strikes in 2005 on its principle stand against the increase in oil prices. He said that the provincial government had shut the door of dialogue since the second strike and they did not even invite us for any meeting.

He said that the KTI meeting felt that owing to injustices the transporters should observe strike on March 2. About the possible strike called by opposition political parties on March 3, he said if the strike was observed, the transporters would take their vehicles off road as they do not want their vehicles to be burnt.