Goods transporters rue seizure of trucks by government

Truckers in Pakistan have expressed frustration over the government's seizure of their vehicles, claiming it has "paralysed" the economy and added to their list of grievances. With an estimated 400,000 goods vehicles forming the backbone of the logistics network, employing millions of people, the truckers say they are treated unfairly by the government.

Issues they raise include "unfair taxes," "routine seizure of trucks and containers," "poor road network," "excesses by the police and regional transport authorities," and problems surrounding HTV licences. However, the motorway and traffic police have denied many of their allegations, including the lack of a proper licensing regime for goods transport vehicles (GTVs).

Despite this, the truckers' ability to disrupt the supply chain often leads to the acceptance of their demands, though these remain temporary solutions. The All Pakistan Good Transport Owners Association President, Imdad Hussain Naqvi, complained that their trucks and containers were seized two weeks before a planned march on September 27.

He called for a separate ministry for transportation and claimed that 90% of truck drivers hold LTV licences due to a complicated process of converting LTVs to HTV licences. The National Highways Authority, however, acknowledged the poor condition of the roads due to insufficient funds, noting that it receives only Rs9bn for maintenance from the government despite overseeing 14,480 kilometers of roads.