United Business Group (UBG) President Zubair Tufail and Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Aman Paracha, in their separate statements, termed the announcement by goods transporters to end their 10-day strike as a positive development. They said that due to the strike, the country’s exports had come to a standstill, while imported goods remained stuck in containers at ports, including food items.
They said that as a result of the strike, the transportation of raw materials, local production, and exports had been completely paralysed. UBG President Zubair Tufail stated that the authorities’ agreement to reduce fines substantially, resolve issues related to axle-load limits, the issuance of heavy transport driving licences, disputes with Customs authorities and the motorway police, and the controversial provisions of the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 was a welcome step. However, he added that had these measures been taken earlier, the country’s exports would not have suffered losses worth billions of rupees, nor would foreign buyers have cancelled export orders.
FPCCI Vice President Aman Paracha said that over the past 10 days, the textile sector alone had suffered losses of approximately USD 500 million, while demurrage and detention charges were also imposed on consignments stranded at ports and factory premises. He added that disruptions in the supply of raw materials and the dispatch of finished goods forced production processes to slow down or shut down, increasing the risk of missed vessel sailings and the cancellation of international orders. Due to the strike, the movement of industrial raw materials from seaports to factories nationwide was also adversely affected.
Aman Paracha further said that the strike was called off following successful negotiations between the goods transporters and the government on issues including conditional relief on axle-load limits for three months, permission with additional fines, and other demands. Under the agreement reached with the government, a temporary allocation of 50 acres for truck parking will be made opposite the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road under the administrative control of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT). In addition, approximately 600 acres of land on the Northern Bypass (M-10) will be acquired from the Sindh government and earmarked for parking to ease traffic congestion.
He said it was also agreed that construction of a 6-kilometre stretch of the Northern Bypass would be completed by April 2026, with the remaining portion to be built later. To further facilitate port traffic, the National Highway Authority plans to expand the route to six lanes, with the detailed design to be finalised by March 2026.
Aman Paracha said that once all points of the agreement are approved and implemented, transporters will be facilitated, and the prevailing uncertainty will come to an end. The restoration of the supply chain and the start of the clearance of thousands of containers stuck at ports will improve the supply of raw materials and essential commodities to markets, which may lead to lower prices.
He urged the government to ensure the immediate implementation of the written agreement so that the supply chain is not disrupted in the future and business activities can continue without interruption, and that all viable recommendations be incorporated into the law.
