Officials, goods carriers gather today to discuss difficulties

The government has said issues facing goods transporters will be resolved soon and invited their representatives for talks in Islamabad on Monday (today), as a nationwide strike over daily diesel price revisions and higher toll charges entered its second day.

The All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance began the strike on Saturday after talks with the government failed to produce a breakthrough, threatening disruptions to domestic supply chains and exports in a country that relies heavily on road freight to move goods between ports, factories and markets.

Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan assured representatives of the alliance during a video-link meeting on Saturday that all their “legitimate demands” would be addressed on a priority basis, his ministry said in a statement.

“Issues of goods transporters will be resolved soon,” he was quoted as saying.

The minister invited a delegation of transporters to Islamabad on Monday for detailed discussions on their concerns.

The transporters have demanded that the government withdraw its decision to revise diesel prices daily and instead determine them on a monthly basis.

Pakistan previously revised petroleum prices every fortnight but moved to daily revisions amid volatility in global energy markets following the outbreak of the US-Iran war in February.

The alliance is also seeking restoration of toll rates that were in effect on June 1, 2024, a halt to further increases and a one-year ban on establishing new toll plazas.

It has demanded that a seven percent withholding tax imposed on goods transporters be reduced to two percent and called for uniform enforcement of axle-load regulations across the country, with overloading controlled at the point of origin.

Khan said the government would begin implementing its axle-load policy immediately and made clear that “not a single overloaded vehicle” would be allowed to enter motorways.

The minister said transporters had expressed support for the government’s axle-load policy and urged them to cooperate in protecting motorways and national highways from damage caused by excessive loads.

“If we do not sit together and discuss our issues, how can we move forward,” he said during the meeting, according to the ministry.

He also ordered the inspector general of the motorway police to act against corruption in the force, saying officials found taking bribes would be dismissed and face criminal cases.