Transporters Go on Strike Across Punjab

Transporters in Punjab launched a wheel-jam strike on Monday to protest heavy fines under the recently introduced Traffic Ordinance 2025, demanding that the provincial government immediately withdraw the measure.

Leaders of the Pakistan Transport United Action Committee announced the strike during a joint press conference in Lahore. They rejected the ordinance outright, claiming the government was imposing “unfair” penalties on transporters.

They warned that public transport would remain suspended until the ordinance was rolled back. They confirmed that goods transport, minibuses, loaders, and rickshaws had joined the strike, halting intra-city, inter-district, and inter-provincial services across Punjab.

The protest comes after the first round of talks between transporters and the Punjab government failed to reach any breakthrough. According to the transport association, the next round of negotiations will take place at 2 p.m. today.

Reacting to the strike, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar said the government would not bow to “blackmailing” or pressure tactics. He stressed that driving without a license amounts to inviting accidents and risking lives.

He said that in civilised countries, citizens uphold the law instead of challenging it through strikes. He added that driving without a license effectively becomes a “license to kill,” a practice absent anywhere else in the world.