KARACHI, Feb 24: Transporters in the city have called off their strike scheduled for Feb 27 against increase in POL prices after Sindh Minister for Transport Adil Siddiqui in a meeting on Monday assured them that their grievances would be taken up with Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar.
In the meeting with the President, Karachi Transport Itehad, Irshad Bokhari; Haji Iqbal Anwar, coordinator of the Supreme Council of All- Pakistan Transporters and others, the minister agreed in principal that fares of local and inter-city transport would be increased in view of the rising POL prices.
However, the final decision regarding the amount to be raised would be taken in their meeting with the chief minister.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Transport Raja Mohammad Abbas, Deputy Secretary Rashid Solangi, DG Karachi Mass Transit Malik Zaheer, while Mohammad Ather represented the transport and communication department of the city government.
Mr Siddiqui stressed that keeping in view the series of unfortunate incidents, including the demise of Air Chief Marshal in an air crash, killing of nine innocent people in Al-falah and slaying of MQM leader Khalid bin Waleed recently, “we cannot afford to have a strike call by the transporters in the city.”
He acknowledged that grievances of the transporters were justified but they too would have to bear the prevailing economic conditions being faced by the masses and all of their demands cannot be met.
The transport secretary informed the meeting that proposals had been received from the transporters regarding increase of fares which would be finalized after a meeting with the chief minister.
Mr Bohkari said that the present fares had been fixed when diesel price was Rs17.53 per litre, which has now gone up to Rs23.50.
“Our demand is to increase the fares by Rs2 for each stage of buses and minibuses,” he added.
BUS DEPOT: The minister informed the transporters that all the Balochistan-bound buses would soon be shifted to the bus depot at Manghopir, while the government would set up a ten-bed hospital and a community centre in the area for the benefit of transporters and their families.
Earlier, the minister held a separate meeting with Chairman National Transport Itehad Saleem Khan Bangash and President Karachi City Minibus, Coach Owners’ Association Haji Azam Khan Masood.—PPI