PESHAWAR
The Peshawar Goods Carriers Association announced on Thursday that it will observe a complete wheel-jam strike across the province on August 8 in protest against alleged harassment by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and unlawful fines by traffic police.
Addressing a press conference here, Association President Muhammad Hussain, along with Chairman Haji Iftikhar, General Secretary Shahid Khan, Press Secretary Waqas Afridi and other office-bearers, said transporters were being subjected to “blackmail and extortion” under the cover of new FBR and customs regulations.
They demanded that the federal and provincial governments immediately withdraw the decision to determine petroleum prices on a daily basis through OGRA and restore the earlier monthly pricing mechanism.
Mr Hussain said Customs SRO 1619/24 should be revoked to end what he called the practice of customs officials harassing transporters and demanding bribes. He also called for an end to FBR’s advance sales tax demands from transporters.
The association further demanded the immediate rollback of the “cruel” increase in toll tax to the rates applicable on June 30, 2024. It also urged the government to abolish the 7 percent withholding tax on the goods transport sector and impose a 2 percent rate, on a par with oil tankers.
Speaking about road enforcement, the leaders asked authorities to strictly implement axle-load rules at the source of loading instead of fining overloaded vehicles with a few thousand rupees midway.
They also sought a review of the 10 percent weight allowance.
The office-bearers expressed anger over what they termed “hooliganism” by traffic and highway police. “The harassment of transporters by traffic and highway police must stop. The unjustified fines must end,” Mr Hussain said.
He added that vehicles coming from the motorway should not be stopped at the Peshawar Toll Plaza by police pickets, and that the practice of loot in the name of route changes and baseless customs penalties should be discontinued.
The association warned that if their demands were not met, the August 8 wheel-jam strike would be observed across the province.
