KARACHI The strike by the Goods Transporters Association against the suspension of vehicles under the guise of fitness inspections continued on Thursday, causing a complete halt in operations.
Activities at Karachi’s two ports and container terminals have remained suspended for the past 36 hours, and there has been no progress from the government in resolving the protest.
Vice Presidents of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Asif Sakhi and Aman Paracha, expressed deep concern over the ongoing strike, stating that thousands of containers are stuck and cannot be moved due to the transporters’ protest, resulting in massive congestion at the terminals.
President of the Goods Transporters Association, Tariq Gujar, said that due to the non-movement of heavy goods from the ports, import and export operations have come to a standstill.
Daily, around 10,000 containers are transported within Karachi and across the country. He urged the Sindh government to grant a six-month grace period for repairing heavy vehicles and installing cameras.
FPCCI Vice President Asif Sakhi stated that thousands of containers lying at the ports risk spoilage of goods inside. Moreover, with containers not being lifted from terminals, a daily detention charge of $150 per container is incurred. The accumulation of containers could result in millions of dollars in detention fees.
He added that thousands of containers, including those carrying food items, are stuck at the ports. Importers will eventually factor the cost of these penalties into their product pricing, leading to increased prices of essential goods.
FPCCI Vice President Aman Paracha said that currently 90% of import and export operations are halted.
Due to the lack of space at the ports, ships waiting at anchorage may not be able to dock, which will disrupt import and export orders.
He emphasized that some of the transporters’ demands are legitimate and the Sindh government must take immediate steps to resolve the issue.
He further warned that delays in the delivery of export orders could lead to loss of foreign exchange for the country. He urged the government to grant transporters sufficient time to comply with vehicle fitness requirements and assured that FPCCI is ready to mediate between the government and transporters to find a solution.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025