Karachi [Pakistan], June 19 (ANI): Karachi continued to face severe commuting challenges as public transport operators announced that their citywide strike would remain in force after negotiations with the Sindh government failed to yield any resolution.
Thousands of residents were left stranded as transport services remained suspended across Pakistan’s largest city, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, the Karachi Transport Alliance had already observed a wheel-jam strike, bringing much of the city’s transport network to a standstill. Buses, minibuses and coaches disappeared from major routes as operators parked their vehicles at terminals and depots in protest.
The disruption affected office workers, factory employees, students and daily wage earners who depend heavily on public transportation for their livelihoods.
Transport leaders blamed provincial authorities for failing to address their longstanding concerns. Karachi Transport Alliance President Haji Tawab Khan stated that discussions with government representatives ended without any meaningful progress.
He noted that the deadlock remained unresolved, leaving operators with no option but to continue the strike. Transporters argue that repeated attempts to engage with various government departments have been ignored, forcing them to resort to industrial action. Their primary grievance centres on the electronic traffic challan system, which they claim has imposed excessive financial burdens on vehicle operators.
The alliance maintains that penalties issued under the digital challan mechanism often exceed the daily earnings of transport operators. They argue that the current system is unsustainable and threatens the survival of public transport businesses already struggling with rising operational costs, as cited by The Express Tribune.
With nearly 8,000 buses, minibuses and coaches typically serving Karachi’s population every day, the strike has highlighted the city’s dependence on an already fragile transport infrastructure. Unless fresh negotiations produce a breakthrough, Karachi residents are likely to face another day of disruption, uncertainty and mounting economic losses, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)