KARACHI – The All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced a 5% increase in goods transport freight charges following repeated increases in petroleum product prices, warning that frequent changes in fuel prices were no longer acceptable.
Alliance President Malik Shahzad Awan condemned the continued rise in petroleum prices and said the transport sector was facing serious financial pressure because of higher operating costs.
Addressing the issue, Awan announced that freight charges would be increased by 5% in response to the latest increase in petroleum product prices. He said transporters were already struggling to meet rising expenses, including fuel, maintenance and other operational costs.
He also criticised the government’s policy of frequently changing petroleum prices, saying that daily or repeated fluctuations were causing uncertainty for the transport industry and making it difficult for goods carriers to plan their operations.
Awan recalled that the alliance had postponed its planned nationwide strike for 40 days following assurances from the government. He said the government had requested the additional time to address the transporters’ concerns and resolve their grievances.
According to the alliance president, the 40-day period would expire next week, after which the transporters would announce their future course of action.
He did not rule out further action if the government failed to fulfil its commitments within the agreed timeframe.
The increase in freight charges is likely to affect the transportation cost of goods across the country, with higher logistics expenses potentially putting additional pressure on businesses and consumers.
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami has also announced a march towards Islamabad on September 20 to protest against the petroleum levy.
The political party has been campaigning against the levy and rising petroleum prices, adding to growing pressure on the government over the impact of fuel costs on the public and different sectors of the economy.
