Goods transporters threaten nationwide strike

KARACHI: The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners’ Association has threatened a nationwide strike within two days if the axle load laws were not implemented by the authorities concerned.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Goods Transport Owners’ Association General Secretary Owais Chaudhry stated that they were closely monitoring the implementation of axle load laws on highways.

He emphasized that the government should rigorously enforce axle load laws on national highways and road networks.

Chaudhry pointed out that provincial governments should ensure the strict implementation of axle load regulations, and relevant government stakeholders should activate their weigh stations to curb overloading on the national highways.

He said that on a daily basis, motorways were heavily congested due to overloaded vehicles.

He stated that they have already protested by parking 5,000 vehicles protest to overloading, and the transportation of cargo at a limited scale has come to a halt nationwide. Furthermore, he said the transportation of cargo through cargo ships was restricted countrywide.

He argued that the absence of the implementation of axle load laws results in road destruction, accidents, and hinders the country’s progress.

“Overloading causes extra wear and tear on the road infrastructure, which ultimately leads to higher maintenance costs,” he said.

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Chaudhry said that according to a survey, an annual expenditure of Rs7.5 billion is incurred for road infrastructure due to the extensive damage caused by excessive loading, with 120-tonne cargo being carried on 53-tonne capacity trucks, directly benefiting the mill owners.

He also highlighted that even in war-torn countries like Afghanistan, axle load regulations are strictly enforced.

Contrary to this, he said, goods transported to the Afghanistan border through Pakistan’s road network are forwarded using three vehicles to carry the load of one container.