Swabi – Leaders of the Public Transporters Association (PTA) of Swabi district have decided to end their protest and blocking of the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway on the condition that if all their demands are not met by Oct 1, they will go on a complete wheel-jam strike along with transporters from Peshawar and Mardan.
Leaders of Mardan transporters reached the Swabi interchange of the motorway and joined the district Swabi transporters in the morning, parking their vehicles at the edge of the motorway, ready to block it. However, district police officials assured them that until Oct 1, they could use their CNG kits while operating their vehicles on the motorway, having already discussed the matter with motorway police.
Fazal Sher Khan, DSP Tehsil Chota Lahor, said that problems can only be solved through dialogue, not protests, as protests do not settle any issue.
He stated, “Vigilance breeds vigilance,” explaining that transporters were permitted to use CNG kits until Friday. Talks among motorway officials, district police, and transporters will be held to address their issues and settle them peacefully” he added.
Ayaz Khan, President of the Mardan Coach Owners’ Association, emphasized that if transporters’ issues are not resolved by next Friday, transporters from Mardan, Peshawar, and other districts will go on a wheel-jam strike, blocking the motorway until their demands are met by the government.
“This is a critical time for transporters; we stand united and ready to render sacrifices,” he said.
Waqif Khan, district president of the PTA, mentioned that the motorway police lifted the CNG kit ban for a week. He warned that if the ban is reimposed, transporters will block the motorway for traffic. He argued that the explosion in a flying coach occurred within Islamabad’s jurisdiction, yet the ban unfairly targeted vehicles from Swabi and Mardan.
Protesting drivers stated that the motorway police had banned the use of CNG kits, describing it as an order rather than a legal measure, which they are unwilling to accept. They argued that vehicles like cars, loaders, trucks, and other passenger vehicles operate on the motorway with CNG kits regularly.
Their main demands include the continued use of CNG kits for flying coaches on the motorway, the removal of additional toll plaza fees, the suspension of motorway closures during fog, and the dismantling of the motorway police check post at the Swabi interchange.
