By Abdullah Ahmad
LAHORE (MNN); Transporters ended their Punjab-wide strike on Monday after successful negotiations with provincial authorities, with a participant in the talks confirming to Dawn that the government had agreed to most of their demands.
The strike call, which was also observed in Islamabad, had been issued by transporters’ bodies in protest against the new traffic ordinance that sharply increased fines for violations.
Discussions were held between representatives of the Punjab government, led by Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar, and a delegation from the Mutahidda Transporters’ Association’s action committee.
Following the meeting, committee member Lala Yasir said the transporters withdrew the strike after the government accepted their demands. He stated that apart from revising the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, transporters also sought an end to the practice of registering FIRs against drivers and owners of heavy vehicles for minor traffic offences.
According to Yasir, the government agreed that no cases would be filed and no excessive fines would be imposed on drivers or vehicle owners. He added that the government also consented to forming committees that would review the ordinance with transporters’ representatives and propose amendments accordingly. Another meeting between both sides is scheduled for tomorrow.
Earlier, Chairperson of the Muttahida Transport Federation of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Raja Muhammad Riaz, told Dawn that the government seemed unwilling to resolve the issue and had attempted to divide the transporters’ association.
Public transport remained partially suspended in Islamabad and Rawalpindi as the wheel-jam strike took effect. Early in the day, noticeably fewer vehicles were seen on the roads of the twin cities. Reports also emerged of school van owners participating in the strike, leaving passengers stranded at major bus stands.
Pirwadhai General Bus Stand in Rawalpindi saw reduced activity, with inter-provincial buses waiting in bays due to limited operations. Although most public transport on main routes remained off the road, Qingqi rickshaws, small vans and light loading vehicles continued to operate in commercial areas such as Raja Bazaar and adjoining link roads.
The Goods Transport Association also joined the strike; however, Regional Transport Authority Secretary Asad Shirazi claimed that goods-carrying vehicles remained operational despite pressure from associations. He added that the government would facilitate vehicles that stayed on the roads.
Meanwhile, there were reports that the supply of food and essential commodities was affected due to the halt in goods transport along the Grand Trunk Road, a major supply route running north to south across the country.
