KCCI President concerned over losses due to ongoing sit-ins near Sukkur

KARACHI: President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Javed Bilwani has expressed serious concern as the business community is suffering losses of billions of rupees every day due to ongoing sit-ins near Sukkur, road closures which has hit delivery of goods adversely.

There has been a transporter strike for four days, deliveries have stopped due to the closure of national highways for 11 days, and production is being badly affected, said Javed Bilwani. He said that the industrialists are suffering huge losses due to spoilage of goods; export orders are being badly affected.

He said in the meeting of the Council of Common Interest chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an immediate solution should be found to the issue of ongoing sit-ins near Sukkur, road closures. Not only Karachi but the entire country’s business community is very worried due to the closure of the national highway.

Javed Bilwani said, distressed industrialists are talking about moving their businesses out of the country, fed up with the situation. The business community and the country’s economy cannot afford further losses in the current situation.

Meanwhile the ongoing blockade of motorways connecting Sindh and Punjab has entered its fourteenth day, as farmers in Sindh protest against Punjab’s plans to develop a new irrigation system. Sindhi farmers fear that the project will severely impact the province’s water supply, potentially leading to long-term droughts, destruction of crops, and barren agricultural lands.

Industrial leaders, including Ismail Suttar, Founder Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SMAP) have raised alarms over the escalating situation. “The disruption of transportation routes is devastating, especially during Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis,” Suttar said. “Unfortunately, despite the seriousness of the matter, the media has remained silent, and no concrete response has come from government officials.”

Karachi’s port operations have been severely affected, with thousands of trucks and Lorries stranded along main transportation routes. This standoff is causing mounting holding and transportation costs for manufacturers, while fears grow that tonnes of edible supplies may spoil, further straining the supply chain.

“Our industries are always the first to suffer during unrest,” Suttar emphasized. “Sindh and Punjab are industrial powerhouses, heavily reliant on each other for raw materials and market supply. Disrupting their link is not just a regional problem; it’s a national economic threat.” Many industries in both provinces have been forced to suspend operations due to the lack of raw material supply. The disruption is hitting both agriculture and manufacturing sectors hard, threatening jobs and leading to significant financial losses.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025