Lahore, Pakistan — December 9: A province-wide wheel-jam strike by goods transporters has brought movement across Punjab to a near standstill, with drivers halting operations to protest heavy traffic penalties and the newly implemented Motor Vehicle Ordinance 2025. Media outlets reported the stoppage on December 9.
The strike has disrupted the flow of goods and public transport in multiple cities, leaving passengers stranded and businesses alarmed. Depots in Sherakot, Lahore, were shut, and a full public-transport halt was reported in Duniyapur, Kabirwala and nearby towns. Bus stations were largely empty as vehicles remained off the roads and few rickshaws or alternatives were available, preventing many commuters from reaching work or attending urgent commitments.
Chaudhry Maqbool, head of Punjab’s goods transporters association, said the action will continue until the authorities meet the transporters’ demands. He and other representatives allege drivers face excessive fines, unwarranted charges and legal burdens under the revised penalties contained in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 2025.
The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association had given officials a December 8 deadline to respond to a 25-point list of demands. Key demands include repeal or revision of the ordinance, dropping heavy fines and pending legal cases, an end to what they call targeted penalties, and reverting the revised penalty structure. Associations warned the strike risks disrupting supplies of essential goods if their grievances are not addressed.
