Punjab transporters call off wheel-jam strike after talks with provincial govt, ‘acceptance of demands’
Transporters ended a Punjab-wide wheel-jam strike on Monday following talks with provincial government representatives. One participant in the negotiations confirmed to Dawn that authorities largely agreed to the transporters’ demands.
The strike, also observed in Islamabad, was organized by transporters’ bodies in protest against a new traffic ordinance that substantially increased traffic fines.
To discuss the matter, discussions took place between Punjab government officials, led by provincial transport minister Bilal Akbar, and a delegation from the Mutahidda Transporters’ Association’s action committee.
After the meeting, action committee member Lala Yasir told Dawn that the transporters called off the strike after the government accepted their demands. He stated that beyond revising the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, the transporters also sought an end to registering first information reports (FIRs) against drivers and owners of heavy vehicles for minor traffic violations.
Yasir claimed the government agreed that no cases would be registered against drivers or vehicle owners, and that prohibitive fines would not be imposed. Additionally, he said, the government agreed to form committees to review and discuss the ordinance with transporters’ representatives, with plans to amend the new law based on the association’s recommendations. A follow-up meeting between the two sides is scheduled for tomorrow.
Earlier, Raja Muhammad Riaz, Chairperson of the Muttahida Transport Federation of the Twin Cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, told Dawn that negotiations were ongoing but that the government appeared uninterested in resolving the dispute and even attempted to divide the transporters’ association.
Partial suspension of public transport in twin cities
In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, public transport operations remained partially suspended as the wheel-jam strike proceeded. At dawn, traffic levels were noticeably lighter on roads across the twin cities. Reports indicated that school van operators joined the strike, causing difficulties for passengers at major bus terminals.
Pirwadhai General Bus Stand, a key Rawalpindi terminal, experienced reduced activity, and inter-provincial travel vehicles lined up at bus bays.
Main roads largely saw halted public transport, while Qingqi rickshaws, small vans, and light-loading vehicles continued to operate in Rawalpindi’s commercial districts, including Raja Bazaar and nearby link roads.
The Goods Transport Association had also joined the strike, but Regional Transport Authority Secretary Asad Shirazi told Dawn that goods-carrying vehicles remained in operation “despite threats from associations.” He added that the government would facilitate vehicles that stayed on the roads.
Meanwhile, reports indicated disruptions to the supply of food and essential items due to halted goods transport along the Grand Trunk Road, a major north-south corridor that traverses the country."
