KARACHI: A rally, organised by goods transporters in protest over the province-wide roadblocks by canals protesters and subsequent measures taken by the traffic police, on Monday led to asevere traffic congestion on key roads in the city`s business district, piling miseries on commuters and motorists.

However, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon managed to convince the transporters to end their sit-in being held on Mai Kolachi Road, where the traffic police had placed containers to stop the protesters from marching towards the Chief Minister House.

Thousands of vehicles remained stuck for hours on I.I. Chundrigar Road and Abdullah Haroon Road as well as on adjoining streets, while several others moved with a snail`s pace on almost every other street of the South district.

People had to wait for over an hour to get out of the traffic mess, specially at the Shaheen Complex, PIDC, Metropole Hotel, in Saddar areas and its neigh-bourhoods.

Earlier at a meeting, the senior ministerassuredthetransportersthattheprovincial government would address their concerns and resolve theirissues.

He requested shipping companies and importers not to put pressure on transporters, saying that the business system across the country had been severely affected by the protest. `The chief secretary will also write to the shipping companies to ensure that no additionalfare or fines are imposed on the transporters,` he added.

Later, the senior minister along with a delegation of transporters reached the protest site to hold direct negotiations with the Pakistan Goods Transport Association, led by Nisar Hussain Jafri, and the United Goods TransportAssociation, represented by Ghulam Yasin Niazi.

Addressing them, he said that the provincial government was fully aware of the challenges faced by the transport community experiencing difficulties for some time.

He informed them that there was a meeting held earlier in the day, where some important decisions were made.

The minister said a committee was also formed to investigate the vehicles which were burned at different times and the commissioner and transport secretary would oversee the inquiry and arrange compensation for the damages.

He said that thousands of vehicles were stuck due to the sit-in, with food items, livestock, and other goods being delayed.

`Yesterday, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah spoke with the prime minister and recommended convening a CCI meeting soon.

The senior minister expressed hope that good news would follow and that all roads would be reopened.

`We want all transport to reachits destinations as soon as possible,` he added.

He said that the country was facing numerous challenges, and people were currently enduring significant difficulties due to the road blockages.