Transporters’ strike: FPCCI seeks exemption of demurrage, detention charges

KARACHI: To mitigate the extensive financial damage already inflicted on the business community, Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), has calls for immediate financial relief, specifically urging the government, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, port authorities, and terminal operators to grant a complete exemption of demurrage and detention charges.

He expressed profound concern regarding the escalating crisis stemming from the nationwide, ten days-long transporters’ wheel-jam strike due to absence of an amicable resolution to the grievances.

Atif Ikram Sheikh emphasized that this prolonged strike is inflicting severe damage on the national economy, with the process of freight forwarding at ports coming to a near standstill.

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As a direct result, imported goods are currently stranded at the ports, and the timely delivery of crucial export orders has become practically impossible.

This disruption has triggered a critical shortage of raw materials, forcing industrial units to either drastically slow down their operations or halt production entirely.

Atif Ikram Sheikh highlighted that traders and industrialists are bearing the brunt of this crisis, suffering exorbitant financial losses in the form of mounting demurrage and detention charges on stranded containers.

Furthermore, the inability to meet export deadlines is severely damaging the credibility of Pakistani exporters and tarnishing the country’s commercial reputation on the international stage.

The current situation is rapidly developing into a major economic impediment that is adversely affecting importers, exporters, traders, and everyday consumers alike. Atif Ikram Sheikh demanded that the government carefully consider the legitimate grievances of the transporters and implement concrete, effective measures to end the strike without further delay.

Ensuring the swift restoration of the supply chain is paramount so that economic activities can resume normalcy and the nation can avoid further catastrophic losses, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026