ISLAMABAD(National Times)- A section of goods transporters on Friday called off its nationwide wheel-jam strike after reaching an agreement with the government, but major operators comprising container trailers, trucks and edible oil tankers remained off the roads, prolonging disruption to port operations and the country\u2019s external trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, fuel oil tankers dissociated themselves from the strike after the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) accepted their key demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oil Tankers Contractors Asso\u00adciation General Secretary Malik Shoaib Ashraf told Dawn that oil tankers were not part of the strike as their demands had been acce\u00adpted by Ogra and a notification regarding an increase in freight charges was expected next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe freight charges are adjusted after every two years, but it has been delayed for three years this time. An increase of 7-8 per cent is expected next week,\u201d Mr Ashraf said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Transport Council, a constituent of the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance, announced that it had called off the nationwide strike following what it described as successful negotiations with the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, council office-bearers said movement of their goods carriers was being restored across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The press conference was attended by Central President Tanveer Ahmed Jutt, Patron Muhammad Altaf, Founder Rao Tahir Khan, Central Vice President Ashraf Gujjar and other office-bearers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The council leadership said goods transportation operations from Karachi Port and Port Qasim were also being restored with immediate effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They said a special committee formed by the prime minister and headed by Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan had held negotiations with the transporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, eight of the transporters\u2019 immediate demands had been accepted, while committees had been constituted to address the remaining issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The council said the agreement with the government carried the signatures of office-bearers representing 15 goods transport associations from across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among their demands were no increase in toll taxes for one year, removal of additional toll plazas and implementation of a modern automated system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The council leadership also said an agreement had been reached for the immediate release, against bank guarantees, of vehicles detained under SRO 1619.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The committees established to address other long-standing issues would remain in contact with the relevant government institutions, they added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association President Muhammad Owais Choudhry said only one segment of the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance had broken ranks and that the strike by container trailers and trucks would continue as their key demands had not been met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the strike, which had continued for the past six days, was adversely affecting port activities. \u201cThe smaller goods carrier vehicles have called off the strike, but the large vehicles that move between provinces and carry heavy loads are still off the roads,\u201d Mr Choudhry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe government is playing politics with us \u2014 buying time under the garb of negotiations while threatening our members through other means,\u201d he alleged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Edible oil tankers also remained on strike. Edible Oil Contractors Association President Tariq Sarbaz said operators were not lifting palm oil and palm olein from the ports for transportation to oil factories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the best way out of the crisis was for the government to accept the transporters\u2019 legitimate demands. Another meeting between the government and the striking transporters is scheduled to be held at the communications ministry on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- A section of goods transporters on Friday called off its nationwide wheel-jam strike after reaching an agreement with the government, but major operators comprising container trailers, trucks and edible oil tankers remained off the roads, prolonging disruption to port operations and the country\u2019s external trade. Meanwhile, fuel oil tankers dissociated themselves from the strike after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n