The transporters have given one week's ultimatum to the government to take back its decision of prices hike on petroleum products. The transporters have decided that if the government did not withdraw the raise in petroleum prices then another meeting would be called on January 11 and they would increase the fares by Rs 2.
The transporters agreed that if the government refused to accept the increase in fares they would go on strike for an indefinite period. This was decided in a meeting of Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI), an alliance of various transport associations in Karachi, led by President Irshad Hussain Bukhari on Tuesday.
Various transport leaders spoke on the occasion and strongly criticised the hike. Irshad also slammed the provincial government for not fulfilling promises done with transporters and said that by soaring inflation, not giving compensation for burnt vehicles, drivers' killings, and illegal lifting of their vehicles by police had left nothing for transporters.
The KTI president said owing to not providing facilities to transporters including customs duties, or any other privilege, the transport sector has come on the verge of collapse. "The transporters have to ultimately face the consequences in case of deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi if it happens," he added.
He expressed grievances over the last night incidents in which 5 buses were gutted and one driver was also killed after a killing of a political activist. He said the transporters are very peaceful because they bring their vehicles on the next day after lawlessness, "and we have to start thinking to come out in protest if their vehicles are burnt".
Bukhari said that government did not give any compensation for the burnt vehicles on the night of Benazir Bhutto's death. He thanked MQM, Q-League and JUI-F for reacting on the price hike of petroleum products. He said that if the political parties decided to conduct peaceful strike, the Karachi Transport Ittehad would be playing leading role.
He said that last time transporters raised the fares by Re 1 on June 7, 2010 when diesel prices was 75.94 per litre but now the prices reached to Rs 82.58, and according to formula approved by the government every Rs 2 increase on diesel prices the fare would be increased by 0.50 paisa. However, the transporters are demanding only Rs 2 increase instead of more.