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Complete strike observed on
Karachi-Nawabshah route
By
Hussain Baloch - Pakistan
Times
Staff Reporter
NAWABSHAH: Thousands of
commuters, who were unaw are
of transport strike on the Nawabshah-Karachi route, suffered a lot here on
Wednesday due to unavailability of road transport on this route.
Most of the passengers, including small traders belonging to Nawabshah and
nearby towns like Daur, Bandhi, 60th mile, Nasrat, Qazi Ahmed used to travel
to Karachi by air-conditioned coaches on daily basis. It was learnt that on
average 44 buses with 47-passenger capacity used to leave here for Karachi
daily.
Nawabshah-Karachi route bus owners as well as truck drivers, on the call of
transporter’s body, fully observed the strike on Wednesday, while bus and
van services to Hyderabad, Sanghar, Shahdadpur, Tando Adam, Sukkur, Moro,
Bandhi, Daur and other local routes did not take part in the strike.
Procession
Meanwhile, the bus and truck owners also took out a procession, which
marched on Masjid Road, Kutchery Road and all other main roads of the town.
They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with solgans against the
fuel price hike.
The procession terminated in front of the Darbar Hall, where the District
Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Usman Panwar held a meeting with the protesting
transporters. District Police Officer (DPO), Rustum Jatoi was also present
in the meeting.
It was also learnt that the local transporters, who had not taken part in
Wednesday strike intended to participate in the “wheel-jam strike” on the
call of MMA. Some reports suggest that markets and bazaars would also
remained closed on the occasion.
Petrol pumps oppose strike call
And in Karachi, the Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association today
categorically stated that owners of petrol pumps throughput the country will
not take part in April 2 strike called by MMA and others stressing that
neither they were committed to any one for the strike nor they have any such
intentions.
In a press statement he said all petrol pumps throughout the country will be
fully operational as they will be working normally for the convenience of
people.
The Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers Babar Mirza
Chughtai in a statement termed the strike and march-calls as unjustified in
the wake of Pakistan making big strides in the implementation of economic
policies and pouring in of foreign and domestic investment providing better
employment opportunities to the people.
He termed the politics of agitation for gaining personal interests, which
will result in causing severe damage to the interests of common man. In his
opinion the wheel jam strike will kill country’s economic plans on one side
and severely hamper educational activities of the students whereas it can
also send daily wages earners on starvation.
Abdul Majid Haji Mohammad, Acting President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce &
Industry (KCCI) has resented the strike call given by Muttahida
Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on April 2, 2005 in Karachi.
He said, “We believe in democracy and healthy political activities but such
agitational and meaningless strike call from any party with the political
objectives create problems to all segments of society and must be avoided”.
The KCCI Acting Chief argued that proposed strike call which is being
observed on April 2, would have negative and wrong impact on the life of
Karachiites as well as business activities which are on the right move.
NWFP Oil Tankers to go on strike
Yet a report from Peshawar says that the NWFP oil tankers owners Wednesday
observed complete wheel-jam strike against hike in petroleum prices and
other issues across the country.
The All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association had given the countrywide
strike call in favour of its 20-point charter of demands. The owners of
hundreds of oil tankers parked their vehicles loaded with various types of
fuel at the parking lot of Taroo Jaba Oil Depot, as no-one was allowed to
leave the area.
Similarly, according to reports, hundreds of vehicles that were on their way
to various destinations across the country also remained stopped.●
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