Transporters strike affecting leather export

Pakistan leather industry exports are standstill due to ongoing strike by Goods Transporters for the last eight days. As a result of strike, a large number of containers of finished Leather/Goods/Garments/Footwear and specially Chemicals & Machineries and specially Raw skins/Materials are lying at Karachi Ports for want of transport and most of them are perishable are now on high risk of losses and leading the cause of sever demurrage at Ports by exporters / importers of leather industry.

The Chairman, Pakistan Tanners Association( PTA),Mr. Anjum Zafar informed the media that a meeting was held today with the Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance in the Association Office which was headed by Mr. Nisar Hussain Jafri Chairman accompanied by Mr. Amanullah Khan Niaz Vice Chairman and others and discussed the core issues for the strike observed in Karachi and brought to the notice of the Goods Transporters Alliance the real concern of the Leather Sector of Pakistan which is the 2nd biggest export oriented Industry of the country and contributing significant to the country’s GDP the problems confronting by its country wide members in result of indefinite Strike made by the Transporters.

Mr. Jafri, Chairman, Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance informed the House during the meeting that total 486000 heavy vehicles registered in Pakistan for the goods Transportation are completely parked for strike until & unless the resolution for which discussion is in progress with the Sindh Government & City Government and submitted the new concerted TOR/SOP to the Sindh High Court for the alternate solution on temporarily basis for the restoration of process for the transporters which is not the single issue of Karachi City which is also being affected severely throughout the country’s exports & imports. He also informed that thousands of Containers of Chemicals Food items & other perishable items are lying at Karachi Port & Port Qasim for the want of transportation and the mercantile fleet authority in Karachi has also issued immediate letter to the Higher Authority for immediate resolution for upcoming containers which are ready at the port for disembarkation and also which are on the sea/route to Karachi in view of ground space is now available with the Ports Authority for further parking.

Mr. Anjum Zafar,Chairman, PTA also informed that the Leather Sector of Pakistan is already facing declining by 35% for the couple of years and now in severe crises and facing heavy losses which is certainly detrimental not only to the Industry and ultimately would have negative impact/affect to the country’s economy/exports by losing precious foreign exchange. Millions of Dollars in import and export trade has already been lost and further heavy losses are being incurred. More than 300 containers of leather industry export and import shipments are held up and activities have become STANDSTILL in leather sector. Even if the matter is sorted out urgently it will many weeks to clear the back log and economy will suffer losses in millions of USD.

It has been generated view with consensus among the Members of the Association during the meeting endorsed by the Chairman, PTA Mr. Anjum Zafar, Mr.Aziz Ahmed, Sr. Vice Chairman,PTA and Mr.Gulzar Firoz, Ex-Chairman, PTA with the support of the house to appeal to the Sindh Chief Minister, Mr. Murad Ali Shah and Provincial Transport Minister, Mr. Nasir Hussain Shah to resolve the issue IMMEDIATELY without further delay to avoid further loss & demurrage for the Cargo for the Import/Exports of the precious shipments lying at Port & Leather Factories other the whole responsibility for the heavy demurrage/losses of PTA’s exporters would be on Sindh Government. The House anticipated getting early resolution by today or tomorrow maximum so that the transportation process would be restored to start the transport activities of the containers/shipment smoothly with convenience.

The transporters reportedly went on strike on May 8, in protest against the restriction imposed by the Sindh High Court (SHC) on the movement of heavy vehicles in Karachi. The SHC has adjourned the hearing until May 20.

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