Chandigarh, Aug. 24 -- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday appealed to Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar to take up the issue of the US halting work visas of all foreign truck drivers, following a fatal crash involving a Punjabi trucker. Writing to the minister, Harsimrat said, "Around 1.5 lakh Punjabi and Sikh drivers make up 20% of the US trucking industry. Any mass level action against them would have a detrimental effect on trucking families and would be discriminatory in nature, considering the fact that Punjabis have built and sustained trucking logistics and trucking networks over decades." She urged the minister to take steps to allay these fears. She urged the minister to convey to the US government that the Punjabi community had played a vital role in meeting the high demand for drivers, and alleviating the stress of driver shortages on American consumers and its economy. Thus, it should be stressed that a "mistake by one driver", which had resulted in a fatal accident, should not be used to punish the entire community. The MP also urged the minister to ensure counsellor access for Harjinder Singh, who had been arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide, so thathis case could be pleadedappropriately.HTC...