ISLAMABAD: Local public transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad will observe a wheel-jam strike on December 8, rejecting the administration’s appeals to postpone their protest against the newly amended traffic ordinance. The ordinance introduces significantly higher fines for heavy vehicles — a change transporters say threatens their livelihoods.
The Punjab Public Transport Association issued the strike call after a meeting with City Traffic Police officer Farhan Aslam and Regional Transport Authority Secretary Asad Shirazi. Despite the administration’s efforts to negotiate, transporters insisted they would proceed with the shutdown to pressure the Punjab government into repealing the amendments.
Transporters Cite Crushing Financial Pressures
Raja Muhammad Riaz, Chairman of the Mutahida Transport Federation of the Twin Cities, said transporters have been overwhelmed by repeated fines ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs20,000. These penalties, he argued, have made it difficult for drivers and owners to manage household expenses, especially amid rising fuel and spare-parts costs. Riaz accused the government of shifting its financial burden onto transporters and demanded an immediate reduction in fines and a review of policies he described as destructive for the sector.
During the meeting, transporters secured one concession: traffic police agreed not to fine vehicles that hold valid fitness certificates.
Freight Operators and Political Groups Join the Protest
Goods Transport Association President Shakeel Qureshi confirmed that freight operators will fully participate in the wheel-jam strike. He denounced the Punjab Assembly’s traffic-law amendments as “economic murder” and criticized policymakers for legislating without consulting key stakeholders. Qureshi also warned that Rawalpindi’s transport bases will remain completely closed on Monday.
Support for the strike has expanded beyond transport unions. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) Rawalpindi district announced full backing for the protest, arguing that heavy fines have disproportionately affected poor motorcyclists and low-income residents. The party urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to adopt a more people-centric policy and ease the financial burden on commuters.
