Punjab braces for wheel-jam strike today against new traffic rules

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Transport operators across Punjab, including Lahore, have announced a wheel-jam strike from Monday (today), declaring that they will suspend all operations in protest against the Traffic Ordinance 2025.

The announcement was made during a press conference by the Transporters Grand Alliance, which warned that both goods transport and public transport vehicles would remain off the roads if their demands were not met.

The alliance called for the Punjab government to immediately withdraw the Traffic Ordinance 2025. Representatives said the proposed measures would place an excessive burden on the sector, citing what they described as disproportionately high fines and penalties. They stated that the new regulations had made the movement of goods increasingly difficult.

Transport leaders added that drivers had been turned into “criminals” under the current enforcement approach, with cases being filed against them across various routes. They also highlighted discrepancies in licensing fees, noting that while the driving licence fee across the country stands at Rs1,200, it is Rs12,000 in Punjab.

They cautioned that if the government did not accept their demands, the strike would continue for an indefinite period, affecting goods supply chains and inter-city passenger movement across the province.