Rawalpindi-Islamabad Transporters Begin Wheel-Jam Strike | New Traffic Fines Trigger Citywide Shutdown

Transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad started a complete wheel-jam strike this morning, December 8, 2025. Buses, wagons, trucks, and loaders are off the roads. The city already feels the pinch.

The Punjab Public Transport Association and Goods Transporters Association called the strike. They are angry about the new traffic ordinance that slaps fines of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 on public and freight vehicles for things like overloading, wrong parking, or missing fitness certificates.

Drivers say they cannot pay these fines on top of diesel prices, spare parts costs, and daily route expenses. One more challan and many will have to park their vehicles for good.

Why They Refused to Back Down

City traffic police and the Punjab government asked them to postpone the protest and sit for talks. The transporters said no.

“We have been begging for meetings for months. Nothing changed. Now we have no choice but to stop wheels,” a transporter leader told reporters last night.

JUI-F Rawalpindi and several local political groups openly support the strike. They call the new fines “anti-poor” and want the Punjab government to roll them back immediately.

What’s Closed Today

Almost everything with more than four wheels is off the road.

• All inter-city buses from Pir Wadhai, Faizabad, and Soan bus stands are suspended

• Qingqi rickshaws and some local wagons are still running inside the cities, but very few

• Goods trucks are parked – expect delays in vegetable, fruit, and grocery supplies by evening

• School vans associated with transporter unions are also not operating in many areas

If you have office, school, or hospital plans today, leave early and use Careem, InDrive, or metro if possible.

The Fines That Broke the Camel’s Back

The new ordinance isn’t just higher fines. It also gives traffic wardens the power to impound vehicles on the spot for serious violations.

A loader driver caught overloading now pays Rs 20,000 instead of the old Rs 2,000. A bus with a missing route permit gets Rs 10,000. Fitness certificate expired? Another Rs 10,000.

Transporters say most vehicles are old. Getting a fitness certificate costs money and time. Meanwhile, they earn Rs 1,500 to 2,000 per day after fuel. One fine wipes out a week’s income.

Government Says Rules Are for Safety

Traffic police argue that the heavy fines are needed. Overloaded trucks cause accidents. Buses without fitness certificates break down and block roads. Old smoke, belching wagons, poison the air.

They promised to set up facilitation camps for fitness certificates and route permits. But transporters want fines reduced first, talks second.

How Long Will This Last?

Association leaders say the strike continues until the Chief Minister or Chief Secretary agrees to meet them and announces lower fines in writing.

If no announcement comes by evening, they threaten to make it indefinite and block the GT Road completely tomorrow.

Past strikes in Punjab ended when the government formed a committee and reduced some fines. The same can happen again. But this time, transporters sound angrier than usual.

Advice for Commuters Today

• Work from home if you can. Use the Metro Bus it’s running normally. Bike riders and private cars are your friends today.

• Markets may see higher vegetable prices by afternoon because supply trucks are stopped.

• Patients with hospital appointments should arrange private transport early.

• This strike hurts daily wage earners the most – drivers, conductors, loaders, workshop mechanics. They have families to feed too.

• Everyone wants safer roads and less pollution. But the fines cannot be so high that poor drivers lose their livelihood overnight.

• The Punjab government needs to sit with transporters today and find a middle path. Reduce some fines, give more time for compliance, and set up cheap fitness camps.

• Because if this strike drags into tomorrow, the whole twin cities will grind to a halt.

And nobody wants that.

For more updates, visit DrivePK.com