KARACHI: Operations at Karachi’s ports came to a complete halt on Wednesday due to an ongoing strike by goods transporters, disrupting the handling of import and export containers.
The strike has left thousands of containers stranded at port terminals, severely impacting trade activities. Exporters are enduring financial setbacks due to the non-availability of transporters and containers.
Local industries are also feeling the pinch, as halted imports at Port Qasim and Karachi Port have disrupted supply chains, leading to shortages of essential raw materials and interruptions in production processes.
Currently, a significant number of containers remain immobilized at Karachi’s port terminals. Ships are departing without loading any cargo, forcing exporters to bear additional costs from demurrage and detention fees.
More than 16,000 containers are reportedly stuck at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal, while another 13,000 containers—split between imports and exports—remain stalled at the Qasim International Container Terminal.
Malik Shehzad Awan, President of the Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance, has stated that the strike will continue until their demands are formally acknowledged through an official notification. He emphasized that all port-related loading and unloading activities will remain suspended until this happens.
Although both federal and Punjab governments have signaled their willingness to meet the transporters’ demands, Awan reiterated that the strike will not be lifted without an official confirmation.
