The extended protest by transporters and bus drivers has concluded following successful negotiations with the Balochistan government.
The government reportedly acquiesced to the transporters’ demands, agreeing to relocate security and anti-smuggling checkpoints from the roads of Quetta, Turbat, Zhob, Loralai, and Jacobabad to the border areas and zero points. Another key concession was the removal of Coast Guard checkpoints along the Karachi route, which transporters claimed were causing unnecessary delays.
A significant agreement was reached regarding the maximum duration a bus can be stopped for emergency security checks, now limited to 20 minutes. It was also decided that checkpoints would be replaced with patrolling forces to ensure safety and peace along the main routes without hindering traffic.
The transporters also secured assurances for the provision of security systems for buses traveling along the Taftan road, emphasizing the need for prioritization of transport vehicles and passenger cars in crowded situations.
Following the agreement, the Chief Minister of Balochistan and government officials have directed the relevant authorities to implement these changes.
This protest was initially sparked by stringent SOPs introduced after an attack by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), where fighters offloaded and killed nine passengers from a bus. The BLA claimed the passengers were Pakistani intelligence agents on a mission in Balochistan, asserting that substantial evidence was gathered before the attack.
In response to the attack, the Balochistan government convened a high-level meeting, resulting in the implementation of new SOPs along the route. These SOPs have now been retracted in light of the transporters’ protest.