Transporters’ strike ends after four days; exporters claim heavy losses
The four-day strike by goods transporters, which ended early Saturday morning, has caused significant disruption to trade and port operations, with exporters reporting millions in losses due to delayed shipments and piling backlogs of imported containers. Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Jawed Bilwani said traders are estimated to have incurred around Rs120 million in terminal demurrage charges on 12,000 containers stuck at various terminals during the strike. During the protest, some 20,000 to 25,000 export containers could not reach the port. Clearing the backlog is expected to take nearly 20 to 25 days. Mr Bilwani advised business owners to only hire goods carriers with valid driving licences and fitness certificates, adding that transporters had also doubled fares during the disruption. Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Merchants, Exporters and Importers Association, said that around 400 containers carrying perishable produce had remained stuck during the strike, resulting in major losses to exporters.