Transporters strike has caused fruit and vegetable exporters to suffer $1.5 million estimated loss as reportedly 1400 containers with deposits of edible items have failed to reach ports for purpose of shipment. This has led to sharp decline in  conducive business environment in terms of rapid downfall based on commerce and trade activity. The government in its negotiations with the transporters had failed to convince them to call off their strike as the problem is expected to increase due to lining up of foreign ships at the port. 

“Our economy cannot afford a goods transport strike,” said Waheed Ahmed, the head of the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association. The delay in the completion of export orders is likely to result in the cancellation of deals and new orders will be handed over to Indian exporters,” he added.

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) Chairman Jawed Bilwani issued a statement in which he stated that the strike has led to large scale scarcity of transport vehicles and significantly reduced availability of containers required for functioning of the export-oriented industry. This has consequently generated massive negative impact upon operations of shipments all over the country.

“The government seems to be nowhere and we, the exporters, suffer the most whenever the transporters go on strike,” he emphasised as he stressed that the government to take immediate notice and end the goods transporters’ strike.

According to the PHMA chairman, Karachi ports can handle about 9,830 containers daily, including 4,665 export containers and 5,162 import containers. He further said that in event of continued strikes, the country may inevitably suffer loss of $10 Billion worth exports and thus, striking huge blow to government's top most priority in terms of enhancing exports in order to bridge the trade gap on most urgent basis.