QUETTA: The striking transporters, who had suspended operations on the Quetta-Taftan and other routes for the last one week, demanding the cancellation of new SOPs and the removal of newly established checkpoints following the tragic incident in Noshki, have threatened to block all national highways linking Balochistan with other provinces if their demands are not met within the next 48 hours.

The provincial government had taken serious notice of the Noshki incident, in which nine people from Punjab province were gunned down by unknown armed men after being kidnapped from a Taftan-bound passenger bus. These victims were en route to European countries via Iran and Iraq.

In response, the government decided to reassess its security plan to ensure safe travel on national highways.

As part of the revised security plan, the provincial government decided to reinstate security checkpoints on the Quetta-Taftan, Quetta-Karachi, coastal highway, and other routes.

Demand cancellation of new SOPs, removal of checkpoints

Additionally, SOPs were developed for bus owners operating coaches and buses to ensure passenger safety.

Thess SOPs included arranging at least two security guards in every coach and bus and maintaining a record of passengers with their national identity cards.

According to the SOPs issued to the transporters running coaches and buses on the Quetta-Taftan section and coastal highway, they were instructed not to allow passengers who travel with passports and visas.

The checkpoints reinstated at various routes had been removed by previous governments following demands from coalition partners, political parties, and human rights organisations.

These groups argued that security forces, including Customs, Fro­ntier Corps, Levies, and Coast Guards humiliated passengers und­er the pretext of security checks.

Representatives of the All Quetta-Taftan, Dalbandin, Chagai, Mashkel, Saindak and Rakhsan Bus Transport Union Alliance termed the new SOPs one-sided. They stated that the authorities concerned did not consult with the transporters’ union alliance, which they find unacceptable.

“The SOPs imposed by the government for transporters are very strict and not feasible for the bus owners,” said Lala Saeed Jan Lehri, a representative of the transporters’ union alliance, spe­aking at a press conference last week along with other transporters.

He emphasised that transporters had been operating buses and coaches on these routes for the last 40 years, with passengers travelling with passports and visas for various countries via Iran, Iraq, and Turkiye being their main source of income.

He also pointed out that buses were being checked at all checkpoints despite initial checks at the entry point in Taftan, causing difficulties for passenger transporters.

“Checks should be conducted at a checkpoint at the first entry point,” Mr Lehri added.

The striking transporters’ spokesman said that security on highways was the responsibility of the state and the government.

He warned that if the transporters’ demands were not met within the next 48 hours, they would block all national highways, suspending all traffic until their demands are accepted.

A spokesman for the Balochistan government said that steps had been taken by the authorities concerned to ensure the safety of passengers travelling on these routes in coaches and buses.

“We already provide security to pilgrims travelling for ziarats to Iran and Iraq. They travel in a security convoy,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024