News
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Karachi port lorry strike ends
* Kaira says govt to award compensation for vehicles set ablaze during Dec 27 riots
By Irfan Aligi
KARACHI: Goods transporters on Monday announced to end their weeklong strike following their negotiations with the government. The decision came after a 9-hour meeting between the government and transporters. Federal Minister Qamaruz Zaman Kaira presided over the meeting at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT). Compensation: Kaira said that some of transporters’ demands were justified, adding that the government would review their demand of awarding compensation for vehicles set ablaze during post-December 27, 2007 riots. A committee had been formed, which would submit its findings by October 15. The meeting also decided that transporters would file a review petition before the Supreme Court to seek the court’s permission to use the My Kolachi route. It was also agreed that the Karachi DCO and the traffic DIG would hold meetings with transporters to find alternate routes for heavy transport along the coastal belt. The government also agreed to reduce toll taxes across Pakistan by 40 percent until January. Talking to reporters, Kaira said transporters had agreed not to prolong their strike. He said the government would establish highway checkposts to prevent robbery of goods. All Karachi Goods Transport Chairman Madad Khan Niazi said the strike was being called as the government had accepted transporters’ demands. “It has been agreed the government will decrease diesel prices if international crude oil prices go down,” he said. Sindh Transport Minister Akhtar Jadoon said transporters had promised not to resort to strikes for the resolution of their issues. However, several transport associations declined to end the strike, and claimed their representatives have deceived them.
Courtesy Daily Times