Pakistan Transport Strike Ends After 4 Days, Exporters Report Major Losses
KARACHI – The goods transport strike in Pakistan, which lasted for four days, ended early Saturday morning. However, exporters say the strike caused big delays and financial losses for trade and port operations.
What Happened?
During the strike, between 20,000 and 25,000 export containers could not reach the port on time. It may take up to 25 days to clear the backlog.
According to Jawed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), traders had to pay around Rs120 million in extra charges for 12,000 containers stuck at terminals.
Losses in Fruits, Vegetables & Rice
Waheed Ahmed, from the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Merchants and Exporters Association, said that around 400 containers carrying fruits and vegetables were stuck. These goods are perishable, so exporters may lose between $300,000 and $400,000.
He also mentioned another issue: 200 to 250 containers—mainly with potatoes—are still stuck at the Punjab-Sindh border because of other local protests. Limited cold storage increases the risk of spoilage.
Former chairman of the Rice Exporters Association, Rafique Suleman, said rice exporters lost around $16 million in four days. Pakistan exports rice worth $4 million daily, so this was a major hit. He warned that some international buyers may cancel orders or shift to other countries like India.
Why Did the Strike Happen?
The strike began after a sudden crackdown on heavy vehicles without proper safety certifications. Over 300 vehicles were seized. Transporters were originally given until May 1 to meet safety standards, but the crackdown started early on April 12. This led 10,000 to 15,000 transporters to stop work.
How Was the Strike Ended?
The strike ended after a meeting between transport leaders and Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi. Transporters agreed to send regular reports to traffic police and to remove unfit vehicles from the roads.
Authorities will release seized vehicles, but the very unsafe ones will stay off the road until repaired and inspected. Transporters also have six months to improve safety by adding features like cameras and protective bumpers to their vehicles.
What’s Next?
The transporters’ group will now send monthly updates to the government about safety changes. Exporters are still dealing with delayed shipments and financial losses. Many have urged the government to consider financial help and to act faster in future to avoid such disruptions.
