KARACHI: After 10 days of disruption, goods transporters across Pakistan have called off their nationwide strike following successful talks with the government, bringing much-needed relief to trade, industry and daily supply chains.
The Goods Transporters Association announced that vehicle movement will resume immediately, with trucks expected back on the roads from tonight. The decision came after the government agreed to most of the transporters’ long-standing demands.
A spokesperson for the association said the strike was withdrawn after assurances from federal and provincial authorities to amend transport-related laws, withdraw FIRs and fines imposed on drivers and vehicle owners, and allocate space for 1,000 containers at ports. The government also agreed to clear vehicles stranded at the Pakistan-Afghan border and deploy mobile licensing units on highways and motorways to help drivers obtain LTV and HTV licences more easily.
Association President Malik Shehzad Awan said committees formed by the federal government, Punjab and Sindh administrations had formally accepted the demands. He confirmed that a draft agreement has been signed by all transporters and an official notification is expected soon. Awan thanked transporters and other stakeholders for their unity and support during the protest.
The prolonged strike had badly affected import and export activities, causing severe congestion at ports. While port authorities maintained that vessel movement continued normally, trade representatives reported a major backlog.
All Pakistan Customs Agents Association Chairman Arshad Khurshid said nearly 25,000 import containers, including edible oil, industrial raw materials and consumer goods, were stuck at Karachi Port and Port Qasim awaiting clearance. He added that around 15,000 export containers could not reach the ports during the strike.
Business leaders also warned of serious economic consequences. Businessmen Group Chairman Zubair Motiwala said the strike pushed the trade and industrial sectors into distress. He noted that although ports usually handle about 2,000 containers daily, between 12,000 and 14,000 containers remained stuck over the past 10 days.
Motiwala cautioned that export oriented industries, despite continuing production, faced the risk of missing delivery deadlines due to halted transportation of finished goods. Such delays, he warned, could result in financial losses and harm Pakistan’s export credibility.
Urging cooperation going forward, he called on both the government and transporters to remain flexible and work together to prevent further damage to the economy.
With the strike now over, stakeholders hope that swift clearance of containers and smooth transport operations will help restore normal trade activity in the coming days.
