Goods transporters on Saturday set a 72-hour deadline to the government for the recovery of their hijacked loaded trailers and release of arrested crewmembers. They warned the authorities of indefinite strike and grounding their carriers across the country.
Karachi Goods Carriers Association (KGCA) President Khalid Khan and General Secretary Muhammad Shoaib Khan along with other members at a press conference at Karachi Press Club, criticised the government and called it "inefficient". "Our loaded trailers are hijacked in broad daylight on the highways. Even in Karachi our vehicles are not safe as extortionists pose a constant threat to our drivers," said Khalid Khan.
He said police also forced its drivers to park loaded vehicles with containers along the roads to block them during protests or political rallies, which inflict huge financial losses on goods transporters. Slamming the administration, he said, it has failed to provide security to drivers and helpers during their journeys towards upcountry, in the city. "There's no protection provided to our staff including drivers and cleaners at the truck stand in the city by the administration," he added.
Earlier, the snatched vehicles would be found in deserted areas of Sindh after their being discharged by hijackers but now billions of rupees stuff along with transport are totally lost, he said. Hijackers, he said, are beating up drivers and trailers' staff and take the loaded vehicles away at gunpoint. Police are unable to track down outlaws in any part of the province. "Police even file cases against the complainant drivers which is strange," he said.
Khalid demanded of the government to pay compensation against the lost trucks and loaded cargo, as it is the government's responsibility to protect the transport moving on the highways. "Our trucks are burnt in protests for which the government should pay compensation to owners," he maintained.
He said in the last one week seven trailers have been hijacked in the province near Jamshoro which were loaded with billions of rupees cargo. He said transporters cannot sustain such a huge loss and ultimately they will wind up their businesses. President KGCA said he along with other members is going to Lahore and address a press conference there next Tuesday to muster support from other transporters and will return to Karachi to draw future line of action. "After the passage of 72 hours of ultimatum, we will knock the doors of media to make an important announcement," he added. He pointed out that in Karachi alone, at least 50,000 families depend on goods transports and the numbers are in million if a vast assessment is done across the country.
"Only 996 trailers were burnt to ashes on December 27, 2007, the evening when former premier Benazir Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi and the government has so far not given us compensation for our loss," Khalid Khan said. He said the association has so far sent many letters to high-ups but there's no response. He said the association also sent a letter to Pak Army for help on which a team of officials visited transporters and assured them of support against the criminals.
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