Karachi, December 18, 2025 – The business community of Karachi has urged the federal government to waive demurrage and detention charges accrued during the recent nationwide goods transporters’ strike that lasted from December 8 to 17, 2025. The strike brought cargo movement at Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and associated terminals to a near-complete halt, leaving import and export consignments stranded and imposing heavy financial burdens on traders and industrialists.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), in a letter to Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, highlighted the extraordinary economic disruption caused by the strike. Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala and KCCI President Rehan Hanif described the situation as severely affecting supply chains, production cycles, and export commitments. Exporters faced shipment delays, order cancellations, and reputational risks with international buyers, while importers struggled to obtain essential raw materials, exacerbating costs for small and medium enterprises.
Similarly, the SITE Association of Industry called for immediate government intervention. President Ahmed Azeem Alvi stressed that while businesses were not responsible for the delays, they were unfairly penalized with demurrage and detention charges. He warned that these additional costs could undermine Pakistan’s export targets and disrupt the timely supply of imported inputs for industrial operations.
Both KCCI and SITE urged the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to instruct shipping lines, terminal operators, and port authorities to waive, suspend, or substantially reduce charges for consignments affected solely by the strike. They also recommended extraordinary measures to ensure swift clearance of the backlog, allowing trade flows to normalize without further financial strain.
The business leaders emphasized that timely government action would not only relieve immediate losses but also reinforce confidence in Pakistan’s trade and industrial sectors during unforeseen crises.