KARACH
A countrywide strike by goods transporters and oil tankers started affecting industrial and export supply chains on Saturday, with operators vowing to continue the protest until the outcome of talks with the government on Monday, while manufacturers warned that prolonged disruption could halt production and jeopardise export commitments.
Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance Chairman Nisar Hussain Jafry told Dawn that “our countrywide strike will continue as our leadership intends to meet the ministers concerned with petroleum, transport and ports on Monday”.
He said the movement of more than 400,000 goods-carrying vehicles, ranging from small to large, had been suspended from Saturday until the outcome of Monday’s meeting. “We have already unloaded our containers at the ports,” he said.
Mr Jafry said goods transporters were striking over multiple issues, including the government’s recently introduced daily fuel price mechanism. “We are dissatisfied with the daily fuel price fixation introduced by the government, which is only creating problems,” he said.
Since intercity movement of vehicles takes between one and three days, transporters and industries cannot make firm commitments on transportation charges because of daily changes in fuel prices, he said. Mr Jafry urged the government to restore the monthly fuel price mechanism and reduce withholding tax on transporters to 2pc from 7pc, noting that oil carriers were paying 2pc withholding tax on services.
He said the government and goods transporters had signed a charter of demands in December 2025, but the commitments made under it had yet to be fulfilled. Mr Jafry also complained about the number of toll plazas, saying they had been established at intervals of around 30km and that transporters were perturbed over high toll rates. Transporters were also facing issues related to parking of heavy vehicles in areas surrounding the ports and driving licences, he added.
