Punjab Transport Strike Today: Goods and Passenger Services Hit by New Traffic Laws

Transporters across Punjab launched a widespread protest on Monday, suspending goods and passenger transport in multiple cities in opposition to the newly implemented Traffic Ordinance 2025. The shutdown has left commuters, students, and supply chains severely disrupted.

The strike is under way in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Okara and several other districts, with transport associations declaring that the protest will continue until the government withdraws the new regulations. In Rawalpindi, all intercity, intracity and goods transportation services have come to a standstill, resulting in students struggling to reach educational institutions due to the absence of public transport.

The action follows a press conference held a day earlier by the Transporters Grand Alliance, which announced that both public and goods transport would remain suspended “until their demands are met.”

A unified group of transport leaders has urged the Punjab government to immediately roll back the Traffic Ordinance 2025, claiming that the revised measures place an unreasonable burden on the transport sector. The alliance has criticized the ordinance for introducing what they describe as excessively high fines and penalties, creating hurdles for the movement of goods across the province.

Industry representatives further voiced concerns that the new enforcement framework has “effectively criminalized drivers,” noting that cases are being registered against drivers on several routes, placing them under heightened pressure.

They also highlighted the stark difference in licensing fees, pointing out that while the cost of a driving licence stands at Rs1,200 elsewhere in the country, Punjab’s fee is a steep Rs12,000.