Goods transporters face problems due to protest in Punjab

KARACHI: The goods transporters have been facing a lot of problems due to sit-in in Punjab, as hundreds of container-laden trucks, of which many containers were loaded with goods, had been intercepted by the police to use them for setting up roadblocks, which has caused severe losses not only to the truck owners but also to the shipping lines, importers, exporters and suppliers of goods, an official said.

United Goods Transporters Alliance (UGTA) chairman Ghulam Yasin Khan said: “The situation has worsened to such an extent that several containers were even dumped in the River Jhelum, of which some have been recovered but a few are still floating in the river, causing severe damages to the containers and losses to the goods transporters.”

“Even the business community also suffers badly due to the damages caused to containers and also the escalating demurrage/detention charges by shipping lines,” he said, adding that as the goods transporters were not in a position to settle claims and the government stays inattentive to their issue, UGTA finds no other option but to go on a strike.

Speaking at a meeting during the visit of UGTA delegation to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Yasin Khan said: “Keeping in view the strong ties between UGTA and KCCI, we felt it necessary to consult with the chamber before taking this harsh step, which was neither in favour of the economy nor the business community but we have no other choice.”

He said the truck owners were facing severe liquidity crunch due to the high cost of doing business, as the prices of diesel, oil, tires and spare parts, etc, have risen sharply and the miseries intensify further when they face additional losses due to sit-ins.

“Moreover, the Customs officials along with the local police have been constantly harassing truck drivers in the Hyderabad-Sukkur region, particularly at a check-post established in Khairpur where every single truck driver was being stopped and released only after paying Rs2,000,” he said, adding that several letters have been sent to the prime minister, interior minister, Sindh chief minister and others, highlighting these issues but to no avail.

The UGTA chairman said in this inflationary scenario, the goods transporters will have to raise their tariffs, otherwise their survival was at stake due to inflation and the lack of government support.

KCCI president Muhammad Idrees said that instead of going on a strike, the goods transporters must hold negotiations with the lawmakers and the KCCI would try its level best to arrange table-talks with the relevant ministers.

He also requested UGTA to share all its communications with the relevant ministers so that the KCCI could promptly take up their issues and get them resolved, as strikes were neither in favour of the goods transporters nor the business community and the already ailing economy.

“We will invite [the] federal interior minister, commerce minister and minister for maritime affairs at the KCCI so that we could jointly discuss the problems being suffered by [the] goods transporters and amicably resolve the same in the larger interest of the country,” he added.

The KCCI president also sought UGTA’s nominations for the KCCI’s Ports, Shipping and Multi-modal Transportation Subcommittee to further strengthen strong liaison between the two organisations.

UGTA senior vice president Abdul Rehman Naqi, vice president Qazi Zahid Hussain, senior vice chairman Imdad Hussain Naqvi, secretary general Ghulam Muhammad Afridi and KCCI Managing Committee members were also present on the occasion.