The strike by goods transporters across Pakistan has entered its sixth day after negotiations with the federal and provincial governments failed to produce a breakthrough. Transporters say talks remain deadlocked and they have no immediate plans to end the protest.
Nabeel Mahmood Tariq, president of the goods transporters’ association, said the government had refused to accept their key demand to end daily changes in diesel prices. He warned that the strike would continue indefinitely unless meaningful progress was made in negotiations.
Tariq said the government’s inflexible approach was a major reason behind the failure of the talks. According to him, transporters had also asked for a reduction in toll taxes or for the existing rates to remain unchanged for at least one year.
The government had offered limited concessions on customs-related matters and the load axle issue, but transporters rejected the proposals as insufficient. Tariq maintained that the concessions did not address the main concerns of the transport sector.
The transporters’ leader also accused the government of underestimating the economic impact of the ongoing strike. He said continued disruption to goods transportation could create wider problems for businesses, markets and consumers, adding that the seriousness of the situation would become clearer in the coming days.
The strike is already affecting the movement of fruits and vegetables in several parts of the country. Disruptions in the supply chain have raised concerns about further increases in food prices, particularly if the protest continues for an extended period.
In Balochistan, the impact is becoming more visible in local markets. The price of chicken meat in Quetta has reportedly increased from Rs500 to Rs550 per kilogram. In Karachi, however, vegetable supplies are still being transported through smaller vehicles, helping maintain some level of market supply despite the wider strike.
