KARACHI: A nationwide wheel-jam strike announced by the All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance began across Pakistan on Saturday, with the alliance’s leaders declaring that the protest would continue until their demands are accepted.
All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance President Malik Shahzad Awan announced the start of the nationwide goods transport strike while addressing an emergency press conference at the Karachi Press Club.
He called on the federal and provincial governments to immediately accept the transporters’ legitimate demands, warning that the strike would otherwise continue.
Awan also demanded the resignations of the federal petroleum minister and Punjab Minister Bilal Akbar Khan, and said Maryam Aurangzeb should also step down.
He said a single trailer pays Rs2.4 million annually in toll taxes, while transporters are being subjected to unfair treatment in the name of e-challans.
Awan warned that if the transporters’ demands were not accepted within two days, they would march towards the governor houses in all provinces.
He said transporters had been deceived in December and would not negotiate with those who had previously made promises to them.
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According to Awan, goods transporters began their strike across the country on Saturday, and freight vehicles have started being parked in different cities.
He clarified that some goods vehicles currently seen operating on roads are carrying previously loaded cargo, export containers and MT containers that are either being transported to their destinations or are in the process of being unloaded.
Those vehicles would also be parked by Sunday after unloading their existing cargo, he said.
Awan reiterated that transporters would continue the strike until their demands were accepted and urged the government to take the matter seriously and resolve their issues through immediate negotiations.
He said the transporters were united and would continue their struggle until their demands were met.
Awan said that following the wheel-jam strike in December 2025, the government had promised during negotiations to accept their demands, but those commitments had not been implemented to date.
Referring to negotiations scheduled with Federal Minister Abdul Aleem on Monday, Awan said the transporters would not accept any government assurance unless it was issued through an official notification.
