KARACHI, Dec 7: The strike by goods transport carriers is creating problems in movement of export goods from industries to the port, besides disturbing schedule of shipment/arrival of goods.

Transporters are on a strike against incidents of thefts, extortion and challans by the motorway police.Site Association of Industry acting chairman Naseem Anwar said that 50 per cent export-oriented units in SITE area, out of a total of 2,700 operating units, are facing crisis as containers are stuck up and there are delays in export shipments while LCs are expiring.

He said importers of Pakistani goods at foreign destinations are demanding their shipments by air which is not possible.

The government should resolve the issue as industries are already facing problems owing to gas/power load-shedding and water crisis.

A local manufacturer at Korangi Industrial Area said that goods destined for local and foreign shipments have piled up at units, forcing many units to curtail their production.

CEO of North Karachi Development Management Company, Syed Usman Ali, said that he had talked to the police high-ups to provide protection to transporters so that export and local shipments could be resumed. He said the industries remained shut in Muharram holidays besides facing gas suspension on Sundays.

North Karachi industrial area comprises 2,500 units in which 80 per cent are export-oriented.

Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association (KWGA) chairman Anis Majeed said the grain and food market at Dandia Bandia can sustain the negative impact of the strike for another two to three days as supply of food items from the port to the wholesale market had been suspended for the last three to four days.

Even shipment of food items from the up-country to city and from Karachi to other parts of the country had also been suspended.

He said that the impact of the strike on prices is yet not being felt due to thin demand of commodities and slow lifting of items by retailers.He, however, said that importers/traders would have to pay demurrage at the port by approximately Rs1,000 percontainer for failing to lift items in five days from the date of arrival.

Supplies of over 25,000 tons of DAP urea from Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim Plant to dealers and farmers of the country are suspended for the last four to five days.

If supplies of DAP are not restored immediately, sowing of wheat may be delayed in major parts of the country as application of phosphates is highly recommended at the time of sowing, sources said.

This is in addition to the fact that some politically-motivated elements are harassing truckers in transit at Hyderabad Toll Plaza on clumsy grounds.

According to the FFBL sources, the intervention of higher authorities is needed to resolve the issue immediately in the best interest of the country.

FFBL, the only urea and DAP production plant situated in the outskirts of Karachi, is unable to transport its DAP and urea for farmers across Pakistan which has created shortage of DAP in upper parts of the country.

Sources said that this situation may result in huge loss to agriculture sector and wheat sowing target of the government may also be affected.