QUETTA: Traders and transport representatives from across Balochistan have warned of an indefinite shutter-down and wheel-jam strike if the government fails to restore security on the province’s national highways, following a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti on Wednesday.
A delegation led by Provincial Minister for Transport Mir Liaquat Lari, and comprising Central Traders Association of Balochistan President Abdul Rahim Kakar, along with representatives of goods and transport unions—including Mir Daulat Latari, Mir Nawab Mengal, Mir Yasin Mengal, Noor Ahmed Kakard, Barhim Nakhari, Dadullah Agha, Noorullah, and Haji Khalil Ahmed—met with the Chief Minister to voice grave concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation on key routes, particularly the Quetta-Zhob highway.
In a statement issued by the Central Secretariat of the traders’ association, the delegation highlighted that the national highways have become perilously unsafe for commerce. Every day, freight vehicles are being set ablaze, goods are being looted, transporters are subjected to extortion, and drivers’ lives remain at constant risk. The statement sharply criticized the security apparatus, noting that despite the presence of multiple check posts operated by various agencies, the continued vulnerability of traders raises serious questions about institutional performance.
The unrest is taking a heavy toll on the province’s supply chain. The delivery of essential food items—including sugar, ghee, pulses, and medicines—to various districts has been severely disrupted, leading to acute shortages in several areas and a sharp spike in inflation. Quetta-based traders alone are facing financial losses running into crores of rupees as their merchandise is either plundered or destroyed in transit. Meanwhile, transport fares have skyrocketed due to heightened threats, placing an additional financial burden on both traders and ordinary consumers.
The association clarified that it has fully supported all protests, shutter-downs, and wheel-jam strikes on national highways from the outset, asserting that these demonstrations are not driven by personal interests but by the urgent need to protect the lives and property of traders, transporters, and the general public of Balochistan.
According to the statement, Chief Minister Bugti listened attentively to the delegation’s grievances and assured them that a joint meeting would be convened soon, bringing together security agencies, district administration, the traders’ association, transport organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. The objective, he said, would be to formulate a comprehensive strategy to restore order, enhance security for commercial traffic, and permanently resolve the issues.
In response to the CM’s assurances, the Central Traders Association of Balochistan, along with the All Balochistan Retail Goods Association, All Pakistan Mazda Truck Association, Bus Cargo Association, Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association, and Karachi Goods Carriers Association, announced the postponement of their ongoing protest strike and suspension of goods delivery, giving the government an opportunity to act on its promises.
However, the statement ended with a firm ultimatum: if the government fails to take practical steps, does not provide adequate security to traders and transporters, and does not halt the incidents of burning, looting, and extortion, the association—together with all transport bodies—will be compelled to relaunch an indefinite shutter-down hartal, wheel-jam strike, and a strong protest movement. The statement explicitly placed the full responsibility for any future escalation on the Balochistan government and the relevant authorities.
