KARACHI: The nationwide strike by goods transporters has officially been called off following fruitful discussions with the government,
Sources indicate that the Transporters Alliance has declared the strike ended after reaching an agreement with authorities, with all demands accepted and a formal accord signed. The alliance members have collectively endorsed the agreement, which has now been officially communicated.
Shehzad Awan, President of the Goods Transporters Alliance, stated that during the negotiations, representatives from the government listened to the transporters’ grievances and assured resolution of their concerns. Both federal and provincial officials agreed to the demands, leading to the cessation of protests. The announcement was celebrated with fireworks at the transporters’ camps, signaling a victorious end to the strike.With the agreement in place, transport operations across the country are gradually resuming, restoring the flow of goods and easing the disruption caused by the strike.
Prior to the resolution, the transport strike had severely impacted port activities in Karachi, halting operations for import and export containers. Thousands of containers were stranded at the port terminals, causing significant trade disruptions. Exporters faced financial setbacks due to the unavailability of transportation, and the delay in container movement affected local industries by creating shortages of raw materials.
Many containers remain stuck at Port Qasim and Karachi Port, with ships departing without loading, leading to increased demurrage and detention costs for exporters. Over 16,000 containers are held at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal, while approximately 13,000 containers are stalled at Qasim International Container Terminal, highlighting the extent of the backlog and its impact on trade activities.
