Commuters suffer as KP transporters observe strike

The commuters and general public suffered as transporters went on strike against hike in petroleum and CNG prices in the provincial metropolis on Tuesday. After the assurance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, transporters later on called off the strike conditionally.
On call of All Pakistan Goods Transport Owner Association, the public transport on intra-district and urban routes suspended for several hours, resulting in sufferings of commuters. The worst situation witnessed at local routes, where a large number of travellers stayed several hours for public transport.
The students, aged and women were travelled by foot to reach their destination owing the prevailing situation, whereas the taxis, auto rickshaw, suzuki drivers charged doubled fares from the commuters. Travellers used different mean of source to get their destination. Transporters held a protest demonstration in different parts of the province against the unprecedented hike in petroleum commodities. The strike was also observed in district Mardan, Swabi, Charsada, Nowshera and rest of the province.
Transporters blocked main G.T road for all kind of traffic, brunt tyres and chanted anti-government slogans, demanding for restoration of petroleum prices at January-2011 position. Ajmal Khan, a local commuter, while narrating his ordeal said that he had waited long for bus to reach the destination. He said the transporters charges Rs 15 to 20 per single bus stop due to absence of complete transport service in wake of strike. He said the commuters un-boarded on refusal to give doubled fares.
When contacted by this scribe to All Pakistan Goods Transport Owner Association, President Malik Khawaja Muhammad said that they would continue their strike till acceptance of their demands. He said that government should revise petroleum prices at January-2011 position, and stop collecting Rs 300 illegal loaded and unloaded taxes at town administration level.
Regarding the suffering of the public, he said that they had known about the miseries of the general public. But, he said whatever they are doing just for sack of masses. He further added that if the transporters would go to increase fares rates, then ultimate suffer the poor masses. "We had bonded to carrier food and non-food items through out the country, if the transport fares get increase all pressure will come on daily wager and poor people," he maintained. Therefore, he said the government should consider their demand to resolve the issue earliest.
When asked from the Public Transport Owners Association Khyber Pakhtunkwa, President Khan Zaman Afridi, he informed that they had postponed strike following assurance of the government. He further said that transporters would hold a meeting with government officials today to develop mechanism and sort out the resolution of the issue. However, he warned that if in case government failure to accept their demands, then they will compel to restart their strike and protest demonstration in the province.