KARACHI, Aug 21: External trade of the country has come to a halt as transporters’ strike entered its third day, thereby choking city’s ports with imported cargo.

Similarly, roads and highways are blocked by parked trucks and trailers laden with the export cargo coming from the city’s industrial areas and the upcountry.

The Supreme Council of All-Karachi Transport Ittehad had announced on Aug 9 that it would go on a strike from Aug 19, if their eight-point charter of demand was not met by the government.

Since the government did not pay a heed to their demands, the transporters were left with no choice but to go on strike from Tuesday, which has almost choked sea ports with imported cargo and ships are leaving without loading export cargo.

The situation has become so precarious that exporters have started receiving e-mails from their foreign buyers inquiring about the fate of their shipments.

In order to save their export contracts, many exporters have started airlifting their cargo to meet the deadlines.

Since transporters’ strike has crippled movement of all sorts of cargo to and from the ports, traders fear a shortage of essential commodities in Ramazan which may also result in a fresh wave of price-hike.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Shamim Shamsi told Dawn that most of our members are complaining of losing their export contracts for not meeting deadlines.

He further stated that the Letters of Credit (L/Cs) are expiring as a huge quantity of export cargo on trucks and trailers is parked on city roads and ports areas waiting for entry.

He observed that the situation had worsened to such an extent that ships have started going back without loading export cargo and the booked space by the exporters is going to waste.

Mr Shamsi apprehended that if the situation was not corrected immediately in the coming days, ships may even stop calling at the country’s ports or could impose a surcharge.

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) acting chairman Mohammad Khalid Mukashi and Towel Manufacturers’ Association of Pakistan chairman Syed Usman Ali urged the government to enter into negotiations with the transporters for an early resolution of the issue and calling off the strike.

Meanwhile, Supreme Council of All-Karachi Transport Ittehad, chairman Madad Khan Niazi told Dawn that so far no federal government functionary had contracted them.

He, however, said that only one day before the date of strike call, provincial transport minister Akhtar Jadoon held a meeting with them and assured to take up the matter with the federal government.

He, however, said that the minister did ask them to call off the strike, but by that time it was too late for transporters to take such a step without getting any assurance for the acceptance of their demands.

The transporters are demanding cut in diesel prices in line with world oil prices, compensation against the vehicles lost on Dec 27, 2007 riots and arsons, cut in motor vehicle tax, matters concerning law and orders, etc.

Mr Niazi said the presently around 50,000 to 60,000 heavy vehicles loaded with cargo are parked in and around the city, thereby blocking roads in areas like Landhi, Korangi, Northern Bypass, Fisheries, New Truck Stand at Hawkesbay.

He said transporters do not want to cause economic damage to the country and are ready to negotiate with the government, but so far no one had contracted them from Islamabad.

SITE ASSOCIATION: Acting Chairman of SITE Association of Industry Zafar Ahmed said that export activity remains suspended for the last three as no movement of goods from factories to the port had taken place, which was resulting in delays to export shipments.