FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing nationwide strike by goods transport owners, fearing that its continuation may disturb the supply chain of industrial and export operations.
PHMA Senior Vice Chairman Ahmed Afzal Awan said that the industrial sector is already at the verge of a shutdown as thousands of export and import containers are stranded on highways, at ports, and within factory premises. He described the situation as one of the worst logistical breakdowns in recent years, pushing exporters toward substantial financial losses.
Awan cautioned that millions of dollars worth of export orders are now at immediate risk, as international buyers are not ready to bear prolonged delays as Christmas was just knocking at the door. Pakistan will lose critical export contracts that may never be recovered if goods movement in general and exports consignments in particular continue for another few days, he warned.
He added that the export sector — already burdened by inflation, rising production costs, energy shortages, and intensifying global competition—cannot withstand another major disruption.
The strike has frozen the textile value chain. Raw materials are not reaching factories, finished goods cannot be transported to ports, and production schedules have completely collapsed, he noted.
Awan emphasized that importers are also suffering significant losses as their consignments remain stuck, resulting in mounting demurrage charges and further financial strain on the businesses.
Calling for urgent government intervention, he said the crisis has reached a critical point where any further delay could cause irreversible damage to Pakistan’s export credibility. He urged the federal and provincial governments to immediately initiate negotiations with transporters and ensure the swift restoration of goods movement across the country.
The export sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. Immediate action is essential — any lapse at this stage will have catastrophic consequences, Awan concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025