Strike on Quetta-Taftan route ends after talks

QUETTA: The All-Taftan Bus, Coaches Transporters Alliance has announced end to the wheel-jam strike on the Quetta-Taftan route following successful negotiations.

The transporters confirmed that bus services would resume today (Saturday). They expressed gratitude to the Balochistan chief minister, who assured the resolution of their issues within 15 days. A new mechanism would be established on the Quetta-Taftan route, eliminating multiple checkpoints and limiting vehicle inspections to a single check during travel.

The alliance leaders shared these updates during a media briefing at Quetta on Friday.

They highlighted the difficulties caused by excessive checkpoints, where vehicles were stopped unnecessarily, leading to an eight-hour journey taking up to 18 hours. They also informed senior authorities in writing about these issues. The peaceful protest and strike, which began on December 23, 2024, lasted until January 3, 2025, spanning 12 days. A delegation comprising transport representatives held productive discussions with the provincial additional chief secretary of interior.

The Balochistan home secretary assured them of immediate resolution of the issues and committed to revising the inspection process to ensure smoother travel.