Punjab government and transporters on Wednesday reached an agreement for the resumption of public transport. The transporters announced to resume public transport from Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the deadlock between the Punjab government and one group of transporters continues as the transport service of AC buses remains halted while non-AC buses have resumed operation.
Terminals of AC buses in different cities of Punjab including Lahore are empty. The passengers are facing trouble owing to the deadlock and are forced to travel by non-AC buses.
The situation had arisen after the provincial regime announced to resume transport service from May 18 but the transporters did not agree with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government.
Transporters across the country have set up a Public Transport Action Committee on Wednesday said that it will not resume inter-city transport operations until the National Coordinating Committee (NCOC) issues joint and uniform Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for public transport across the country. A meeting of transporters of the four provinces was held in Lahore in which it was noted that there is ambiguity in the SOPs of public transport in each province.
The transporters further reiterated that the NCOC should negotiate with the action committee and issue uniform and unanimous SOPs for the country. Otherwise, they will not resume transport services till Eid-ul-Fitr and after, since it is dangerous to run the transport operations under the current precautionary measures issued by the government.
Earlier on Sunday, a detailed notification was issued outlining protocol for inter-city transport after an outcry by transport owners in Punjab over lack of collaboration on SOPs and reduced fares announced by the government,
The notification contained directives for owners of buses and mini buses, terminals, passengers, drivers and conductors. In a related development, the Sindh Intercity Bus Association on Monday had warned the provincial government that it will start their services on their own, if they were not allowed to resume operations after May 20.
President Sindh Intercity Bus Association, Rab Nawaz, had told that if the government tried to forcibly stop them, they would park their vehicles on roads in Karachi and hold a protest.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government had announced that the transporters will be allowed to operate their buses three days after Eid. The transporters of the four provinces was held in Lahore in which it was noted that there is ambiguity in the SOPs of public transport in each province.
The transporters further reiterated that the NCOC should negotiate with the action committee and issue uniform and unanimous SOPs for the country. Otherwise, they will not resume transport services till Eid-ul-Fitr and after, since it is dangerous to run the transport operations under the current precautionary measures issued by the government.
