KARACHI: Goods transporters called off on Wednesday their 10-day strike that had crippled the movement of raw materials, local production and exports after successful meetings and negotiations with various government departments.
Nisar Hussain Jafri, chairman of Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance (PGTA) — a body representing some two dozen leading transport associations of the country, told Dawn that government had accepted the group’s ‘major’ demands and goods movement had returned to normal.
Earlier, the decision had been announced by PGTA President Malik Shehzad Awan at a press conference at Gulbai Truck Stand in Karachi with Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar and Murtaza Wahab – representing the Sindh government. The strike, he said, was being called off on guarantees from the authorities.
“We have withdrawn the strike after 10 days. The decision was made after the federal, Punjab and Sindh governments accepted our demands and signed the settlement document,” said Mr Awan.
The minister said the government has also accepted to largely slash fines and their implementation, while addressing matters relating to axle-load limits, issuance of heavy transport driving licences as well as disputes with Customs authorities and motorway police and controversial sections of Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.
As part of these commitments, it was also decided that a temporary area measuring 50 acre should be provided for truck parking on the other side of Mai Kolachi road in front of US Consulate under administrative control of KPT. It was further decided that about 600 acres on the Northern Bypass (M-10) would be taken from the Sindh government and designated for parking to reduce traffic pressure.
After acceptance of demands, goods transporters ended their ten-day long countrywide strike.#DialoguePakistan #Pakistan #GoodsTransporters #Countrywide #Strikes pic.twitter.com/jyTKSshpAW
— Dialogue Pakistan (@DialoguePak) December 17, 2025
The choices comprised a 6km segment of the Northern Bypass by April, 2026, with the rest done thereafter. For additional easing of port traffic, the National Highway Authority proposes to widen the road to six lanes, with a detailed design to be completed by March 2026.
In turn-of-the-table news about container-repro source gangs who steal their goods from imported containers, the settlement also foresaw action by the Sindh police, which would task the provincial inspector general to go into details of such complaints and take stern action against them.
All Pakistan Truck Trailer Owners Association’s Chairman Lala Yasir Naseer also verified that the shipping was restarted after his announcement. “We have instructed our members to open shops after learning from our alliance about the decision,” he said speaking to Dawn.
Members of the transporters were on strike in protest against high fines and demanded that the Traffic Ordinance 2025 be taken back.
Heavy fines and registration of FIRs against the transporters had already been waived off, Mr Akbar said. Fitness certificates issued from Karachi would also be accepted in Punjab and the validity of these documents would be for six months, he added.
He [Qasim] said PU Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has given directions to establish truck stands in different cities of the province and rest areas for drivers.
The Sindh government had consulted transporters before making any decision regarding them, Mr Wahab, who is also the mayor of Karachi, said.
Goods transporters and the Punjab and Sindh governments, Customs department and Ministry of Communications had another round of talks on Tuesday but decided in vain for further negotiations to sort out their differences.
Mr Jafri said it another meeting took place on the Customs House Karachi on Wednesday that was attended by the same government members and a participation via video link of Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Communications Aleem Khan, Port and Shipping Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Minster of state for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani.
The strike started in Punjab on Dec 8, and protest demonstrations were held by the Punjab Public Transport Association (PPTA) and Goods Transporters Association (GTA), while it had been observed in Rawalpindi and Lahore against the provincial government’s implementation of the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.
They said the ordinance proposed exorbitant fines and punishments for traffic violations aimed at speeding, overloading and running old vehicles, which transporters considered an extra financial burden they would be unable to bear.
Factory owners said the textile industry suffered business losses of about $500 million in the last 10 days, when stranded consignments accumulated demurrage (delay) and detention charges at ports and factories.
They said production lines had been obliged to slow or stop because of interruptions to raw materials and the dispatch of finished goods, heightening the risk of missed vessel sailings and cancellation by international customers.
The strike also impeded the flow of industrial inputs from seaports to factories throughout the country.
