KARACHI: Goods transporters’ strike in Karachi is causing loss of Rs18 billions of loss to national exchequer as well as to exporters and importers.
According to details heavy vehicle owners have refused to use alternative routes given by traffic authorities saying the route is too long.
According to sources about 600,000 vehicles carry goods from the ports to all over Pakistan, only at ports of KPT Rs4 billion import export business takes place. In total the country is facing Rs18 billion losses in various aspect of the business.
According to sources at KICT and PICT piles of containers are being stuck and perishable things are in particular feared to be spoiled since their shelf life is not long.
Due to the strike 60,000 ton rice could not be exported and containers of leather, fruit, rice textile products, vegetables and other goods are getting stuck day by day.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh High Court directed the authorities on a petition regarding heavy vehicle movement in the city to bar heavy traffic from entering the city as it was causing difficulties to the citizen.
Keeping the direction traffic police provided the transporters alternative route of Northern Bypass but businessmen say it is too far and not viable.
Karachi’s three ports PICT, KICT and QICT handle 6,000 containers daily half of them are of exports and other are of imports.
Businessmen say they are not able to move imported goods to other parts of the city likewise exports goods are stuck outside of the city and failing to reach the ports.
Exporter and importer say they can use air route for their business but that will increase cost of their business as an airplane service may charge $15,000 for what a shipping company charges $3,000.
Businessmen related to import export say prime minister should take notice of the situation and solve the problem on priority bases as it is not only hurting businessmen but also government and people of the country.
