The transporters on Sunday announced an end to their strike after successful negotiations with the authorities in Karachi, following recent accidents and violent incidents in the city, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday.
On Saturday night, an accident occurred at Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road when a motorcycle, carrying a father and two children, was hit, killing 14-year-old Ahmed Raza and 22-year-old Mahnoor on the spot.
Following the fatal accident, the enraged citizens set fire to the seven dumpers, forcing police and Rangers to intervene and restore order. The dumper driver was arrested at the scene.
At least 10 suspects detained for arson, more arrests expected via CCTV footage.
The All Pakistan Dumpers Association blamed the Sindh government for failing to protect their vehicles, staged a sit-in on the Superhighway, blocking both tracks.
It issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the government, demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in setting fire to their vehicles.
The sit-in blocked traffic between Sohrab Goth and the National Highway badly.
Traffic was rerouted to alternate routes. Association president Liaquat Mehsud vowed to continue the protest until all culprits are arrested, claiming nine vehicles were damaged.
The breakthrough between the government and transporters came during a meeting at the Commissioner House Karachi, where Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon met a delegation of transporters led by Haji Yousuf and Jam Alam.
Sharjeel Inam Memon expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the recent accident and strongly condemned the violence and rioting that followed.
He assured the delegation that the Sindh government would address their legitimate concerns on a priority basis, stressing that the loss of human life is irreparable and a matter of great sorrow for all.
“Violence and vandalism are not solutions. We will work with all stakeholders to resolve the problems facing the transport sector,” he said, adding that measures would be taken to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future.
The senior minister also warned that those who took the law into their own hands and incited unrest would face cases under anti-terrorism laws.
He directed dumper owners to ensure the installation of cameras, GPS trackers, insurance coverage, and valid driving licenses for all drivers.
Furthermore, Memon announced the formation of a committee to assess the losses suffered by transporters during the unrest, promising fair compensation where applicable.