KARACHI, Feb 7: Cargo movement to and from the Karachi Port and Port Qasim on Thursday came to a standstill as the transporters kept their vehicles off the road fearing fresh wave of arson on the chelum of slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

After experiencing unprecedented loss of vehicles on December 27, 2007 when the PPP leader and the former prime minister was assassinated, owners of trailer-lorries and trucks did not bring their vehicles on the road adversely affecting cargo movement.

Business and industry sources said that though the city remained tense and there were less transport units in their respective areas -- Korangi, F.B. Area, North Nazimabad, SITE and Landhi industrial estates -- functioned normally.

However, they claimed that the workers’ attendance was less than 10 per cent as many stayed back fearing violent incidents.

The most affected was the cargo movement to and from the upcountry as the transporters avoided to bring in vehicles to the city ports even during the permissible hours between 11 pm to 6 am.

Nevertheless, industrial units having their own transport arrangement managed to move their cargo to the ports but this was mainly restricted to the local industries.

However, sources said that knowing the chelum date in advance movement of import and export cargo was adjusted accordingly by the trade and industry.

A spokesman for customs agents Arshad Jamal told Dawn that the customs at the Karachi Port and Qasim Port operated normally and there was full attendance. The Customs Administrative Reforms unit (CARe) working under Model Collectorate of Customs (MCC) functioned normally and cleared all bills of lading (B/L) and also carried out examination and assessment of import cargo.

However, he said that the traders mostly avoided taking deliveries of their cargo fearing loss of cargo or vehicles.

Similarly, he said the customs authorities also collected revenue in the form of customs duties and other taxes as banks also operated normally.

At the Karachi Port around 21,722 tons of export and 68,804 tons of import cargo was handled.

Similarly, at Port Qasim three ships were given berths to load and unload containers, cement and furnace oil. Cargo throughput during the last 24 hours stood at 84,032 tons comprising of 63,286 tons imports and 20,746 tons exports.