Oil transport charges up 12.5pc

By Farhan Zaheer

KARACHI: Petroleum Ministry on Monday raised petroleum transportation charges by 12.5 per cent following a strike call by oil tanker owners who were demanding 15 per cent increase in transportation charges.

Oil Tankers Association Chairman Yousuf Shahwani told The News that the federal minister has informed the tanker owners that the government has decided to allow 12.5 per cent rise in transportation charges against the 15 per cent increase demanded by the association.

Shahwani, who is also the chairman of Supreme Council of Transporters Pakistan, said that transporters have also called a press conference on Wednesday to decide future action plan for the goods transporters. There are 1,123 transport unions united under the umbrella of Supreme Council of Transporters Pakistan, he said.

Supreme Council of All Karachi Goods Transport Ittehad Chairman Madad Khan Niazi said that their association has also called a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the problems of transporters.

When asked were they supporting the Supreme Council of Transporters Pakistan’s action plan, he said they are not supporting their plans yet, but the association would share the details of Wednesday’s meeting with the Supreme Council of Transporters.

“Our difference with the Supreme Council of Transporters is that they demand raise in transportation cost whereas we demand reducing of fuel costs from government. We believe government policy of increasing fuel prices is wrong,” Niazi added.

He said transporters were not agitating for only rising fuel prices; they have other demands in their charter, like vehicle thefts and problems that they face at check posts across the country.

Transporters agitate when the government is not willing to listen their problems. “Finally we have come up with charter of demands. We reject government’s stance on fuel pricing and this is why we reject present fuel price hike by the government,” he added.