Goods transporters across Pakistan have called off their nationwide strike, ending a two-day standoff that had paralyzed the country’s supply chains. The decision came late Tuesday night following a breakthrough meeting between the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Association (APGTA) and government representatives in Islamabad.
The strike, which began Monday, left thousands of cargo containers stranded at the Karachi Port and major industrial hubs. Supply lines for fuel, medicine, and food staples felt the strain immediately. APGTA leadership confirmed the move to clear the roads after the government committed to reviewing the controversial toll tax hikes and axle-load regulations.
“We aren’t happy, but we’ve secured a formal promise,” said an association spokesperson early Wednesday. “The ministers have 15 days to review the tax structure. If they fail us, the trucks stop again.”
For the logistics sector, the primary grievance centered on the rising cost of operations. Transporters have spent weeks arguing that the current toll rates, combined with skyrocketing fuel prices, made long-haul routes unsustainable. The government, meanwhile, had been under pressure to maintain the current tax revenue targets to satisfy IMF budget requirements.
Industrialists and retailers were bracing for severe shortages if the deadlock had extended into the weekend. While the movement of goods resumed before dawn, clearing the backlog at the Karachi Port will take at least 48 hours. Port officials are now working double shifts to expedite the clearance of essential imports.
The government has yet to release a detailed breakdown of the concessions offered to the union. For now, the highways are open, but the underlying tension between the transport sector and the finance ministry remains unresolved. The next two weeks will determine if this is a genuine settlement or merely a pause in a much larger economic dispute.
