Goods transport routes still closed; transporters claim no payment made for containers

Routes for goods transport remain closed even after roads were reopened to ordinary traffic, and transporters have not been paid for containers taken by the government, All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association President Owais Chaudhry reiterated on Monday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) postponed its planned September 27 long march on Islamabad to October 4, but containers remain deployed on several roads in the capital.

Speaking on Hum News programme Subah Se Aagay, Chaudhry said the government had offered transporters neither assurances nor a mechanism for compensating them for the use of their containers. The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) announced earlier in the day that the M-1 Motorway between Islamabad and Peshawar had been reopened to traffic in both directions.

‘Neither M-1 nor M-2 open for goods transport’

Chaudhry said the transport sector was facing severe losses, with cargo movement disrupted and consignments delayed.

“Roads have been opened for ordinary citizens, but neither the M-1 nor the M-2 has been opened for goods transport,” he claimed. “We do not understand the purpose of stopping cargo. Our drivers are suffering. What could we possibly take to Islamabad that would be used by the protesters?”

‘Not a single rupee’ paid

Calling the seizure of containers, and the expenses incurred on them, a major corruption scandal, Chaudhry demanded a transparent investigation.

“We have not been paid a single rupee,” he said. He questioned the figures reportedly cited for government spending on containers. “Where do figures of Rs45 million, and sometimes Rs400 million, come from? Who is the government ultimately paying this money to?” he asked.

He also demanded an audit of payments made for containers used during protests since 2013. “If Rs400 million was released for preparations for the Sept. 27 protest, details of where that money was spent should also be made public,” he said.

Allegations of excessive seizures

Chaudhry alleged that drivers who protested were detained at police stations and booked in criminal cases. He also claimed that more vehicles were seized than needed.

“If they need 10 vehicles, they seize 20. The additional 10 vehicles are then released after taking bribes,” he alleged.

Containers remain in capital ahead of Oct. 4 march

Around 417 containers have been placed along the route from the M-1 towards D-Chowk via Srinagar Highway. More have been reported at 26 Number Chungi, G-13, Zero Point Interchange and Serena Chowk.

The report said about 1,550 containers had been brought into the city to keep protesters from reaching key locations, at an estimated combined daily rental of Rs46.5 million. Further containers were reportedly being brought in.