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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.

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal has said that elections in Rawalakot could be held by August 20 or 21 if the ongoing sit-in is resolved within the next three to four days.

Speaking to the media in Muzaffarabad, Mughal said a decision had been made to conduct polling first in Bagh and Haveli due to security reasons.

He said security personnel had already reached Bagh and Haveli, while the transportation of polling material was underway under the supervision of the army. Eight security personnel would be deployed at each highly sensitive polling station.

The chief election commissioner said efforts were being made to restore internet services in Bagh and Haveli on August 9 and 10.

He added that the Election Commission would be in a position to announce a polling date for Rawalakot within the next seven days.

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“If the sit-in is resolved within three to four days, it will be possible to hold the Rawalakot election by August 20 or 21,” Mughal said.

Responding to allegations made by political leaders, the chief election commissioner said he could not respond through public statements.

He said the facts regarding whether rigging had taken place and, if so, who was responsible would be presented after the completion of the election process.

Mughal further said that votes are counted in the presence of the candidates’ polling agents.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to reach out to opposition parties in connection with its announced long march towards Islamabad, while its senior leadership may also contact the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is part of the ruling coalition.

Sources told Express News that PTI has decided to establish contacts with opposition parties, while there is also a possibility that the party’s senior leadership will approach the PPP. A PTI delegation will begin meetings with opposition parties after August 14 as part of the outreach.

According to the sources, a seven-member delegation, including Salman Akram Raja, Junaid Akbar, Amir Dogar and Atif Khan, will hold meetings with opposition parties.

The sources said contacts with opposition parties would also be made at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa level, while a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman is also planned.

They added that Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman would be met as part of the outreach.

PTI had announced at a public gathering in Peshawar two days ago that it would march towards Islamabad on September 27.

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Speaking at the gathering, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi said the party would head towards Islamabad on September 27 if meetings with Imran Khan were not resumed, he was not allowed to receive treatment from his personal physician, and cases were not heard in the courts.

Afridi said the party no longer had any hope in the courts, claiming that the judiciary had become paralysed following the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments.

He said every constitutional and legal avenue had been pursued to secure meetings with the PTI founder, but the party’s concerns had not been heard.

ISLAMABAD: Approval has been granted to confer civil awards on the country’s martyrs and ghazis, with 78 individuals included in the list.

A special committee meeting on gallantry awards was held under the chairmanship of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during which approval was given to confer civil awards on martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country and ghazis who demonstrated courage and bravery.

Speaking on the occasion, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that encouraging and recognising those who sacrificed their lives for the country and the nation, as well as those who displayed extraordinary courage, was a national responsibility.

Naqvi further said that the country was indebted to the martyrs and ghazis for their everlasting sacrifices, adding that their great sacrifices were an invaluable asset of the nation.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, the Federal Interior Secretary, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Additional Secretary Cabinet and other relevant officials.

Representatives from all four provinces also participated in the special committee meeting via Zoom.

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