QUETTA: The Central Association of Traders Balochistan has thrown its full support behind the ongoing strike by goods transporters, warning of severe joint protests if the government fails to immediately withdraw the newly implemented Traffic Ordinance 2025.
The declaration came during a meeting on Friday between traders’ leaders and a delegation from the Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association at the traders’ central secretariat. The transporter delegation, led by President Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, detailed grievances of alleged harassment and the imposition of heavy fines on Balochistan-registered trucks in Punjab.
Abdul Rahim Kakar, President of the Central Association of Traders Balochistan, framed traders and transporters as inseparable partners. “Traders and transporters are two wheels of a vehicle,” he stated, pledging his association’s complete solidarity with the strike.
Kakar underscored the severe economic impact of the transport stoppage, which began on December 8. He warned that the strike has halted the supply chain of food items and other goods nationwide, creating fears of shortages. He highlighted a critical situation in Balochistan, where most food supplies arrive from other provinces by truck. “This supply has stopped… traders are suffering losses of millions of rupees daily,” he said.
Declaring the traders’ body in full opposition to the Traffic Ordinance 2025, Kakar demanded its immediate withdrawal and the acceptance of the transporters’ “legitimate demands.” He called upon Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and other high officials to intervene directly with the Punjab government to resolve the issue.
Issuing a stern ultimatum, Kakar warned that if the government does not act, both the traders’ and transporters’ associations would be “forced to protest severely” to protect their interests. The meeting was also attended by other senior leaders of the traders’ association, including Mir Yasin Mengal and Zeeshan Danish.
Meanwhile the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan has formally initiated a high-stakes investigation into allegations of corruption involving billions of rupees within the provincial Health Department, focusing on the purchase of machinery and medical equipment during the fiscal year 2024-25.
The anti-corruption watchdog has taken a decisive first step by issuing official directives to the Director General of General Health Services, Balochistan. NAB has demanded comprehensive records of all machinery procured in the specified period from several major healthcare institutions across the province.
