Goods Transporters Announce Nationwide Indefinite Wheel-Jam Strike From Monday

KARACHI: Goods transporters have declared an indefinite, nationwide wheel-jam strike starting Monday, announcing that no loading will take place in Karachi or anywhere else in the country.

The announcement was made by former Sindh Assembly member and President of the Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance, Malik Shehzad Awan, through a video message.

According to Malik Shehzad Awan, transporters had given the Punjab government a 72-hour ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of FIRs registered against vehicles, an end to the alleged unlawful stopping of trucks, and the release of detained drivers. He claimed that Punjab Police had kept transport drivers in lockups and filed multiple FIRs against various vehicles, prompting the protest and the three-day deadline.

Awan said that although Punjab government representatives contacted them during the 72-hour period, no practical progress was made toward resolving their concerns. He announced that from Monday onward, goods transporters across Pakistan would halt all loading operations until the federal, Punjab, and Sindh governments accept their demands. He held the Punjab government responsible for the current standoff.

In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, pick-and-drop services for school and college students also joined the strike. Vans did not arrive at homes, forcing parents to drop their children at educational institutions themselves. Early morning traffic on major routes remained minimal, with public transport largely off the roads. Freight and goods transporters also remained part of the shutdown.

On Sunday, negotiations between district administrations and transporters continued, followed by provincial-level talks in Lahore late into the night, but a deadlock persisted over the ordinance at the center of the dispute. Another round of negotiations between Punjab authorities and transporters is expected today at 2 PM.

Raja Khaqan Jamil stated that the Punjab government was refusing to accept their demands, and until the demands were met, no transporter should bring their vehicle onto the road. Suzuki union representatives removed passengers from pick-and-drop vans and other transport vehicles as part of the protest.

Goods transporters have also halted the movement of containers, trailers, and tankers. All cargo-carrying vehicles have been brought to a standstill. Cargo loading from Karachi Port has been suspended, with all vehicles returning unloaded to truck stands.