Transport strike leaves commuters in limbo as Sindh suffers gas shortage

KARACHI: Commuters were left stranded in Karachi and other cities and towns across Sindh after transporters announced a strike on Wednesday to protest against halting of gas supply to CNG stations.

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), the supplier of gas across the province, said on Tuesday it was discontinuing gas supply to CNG stations for an “indefinite period of time”. The announcement prompted protest from CNG associations who threatened to block Karachi’s main artery Shahrah-e-Faisal if supply was not resumed.

The Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) – a coalition of owners of private buses, minibuses, taxis and rickshaws in the metropolis – also went on strike beginning today, leaving commuters in limbo.

KTI President Irshad Bukhari, while speaking to Geo Pakistan, said the strike would continue until gas supply is restored to CNG stations in the city. When asked if there were any fuel alternatives available to avoid inconveniencing those dependent on public transport to get to their workplaces, Bukhari replied in the negative, lamenting that the transporters had switched to CNG on court orders.

As the strike continues, the few buses running on the roads are charging passengers double the regular fare.