PESHAWAR: Local transporters observed complete wheel jam strike here in the provincial metropolis in favor of their demands and against the day-by-day increasing prices of petrol and diesel on Thursday. The local police batons charge the enraged transports that were carrying a rally against the government. Commuters faced difficulties in reaching to their destination while the Suzuki pick-up drivers reign over the roads and earned fair to their will. GT Road, Indus Highway and Peshawar to Islamabad Motorway were witnessed without local transport service. The students, government employees and people from every walk of life suffered from the strike and faced difficulties in reaching their destinations. Local police, to reduce the impact of strike on masses, allows mini transport vehicle including Van and Suzuki pick-ups to run on the rushey roots of the city on which they were prohibited in a normal situation. General Bus Stand, Peshawar Bus Terminal, Charsadda Stand and other bus stands were remained closed in response of the call for strike by the transporter leaders. The transporters comprising various buses’ associations also staged a protest demonstration in this regard and held rallies. The protesters led by their associations’ presidents, were carrying placards and banners inscribed with various slogans against the present coalition governments and their demands. They shouted full-throated slogans against the increase in the prices of petroleum products on daily bases and in favor of their other demands.
They were on the view that the surge in petroleum products on daily bases have compelled the buses’ owners to stand their vehicles in stands because the government has been increasing the prices of petroleum products on the one hand while on the other hand, it does not allow the transporters to increase the fare of buses on long routes including local vehicles.
They said that the government was not increasing in the fare of buses to avoid the masses further burden, but if it was really interested in relief to the masses then why it was increasing prices in essential commodities.
The passengers, who were going to Karachi, Lahore and other parts of the country, faced troubles at the bus stands for the whole day, as they had been waiting for the end of the wheel jam strike so that they could reach to their destination but the strike did not end, which compelled them to back to their homes.
The government authorities and politicians tried there best to convince the transporters to end the trick. The efforts were became fruitful when President Transporters Association Haji Ihsanullah announced to end the strike on immediate basis adding that a 70-members delegation of transports would meet with Governor Owais Ghani within next few days.—Agencies