Blockade Stalls Karachi Port

Truckers have halted northbound trips to Islamabad, causing a pile‑up of shipping containers at Karachi Port.

The stoppage follows the Pakistan Tehreek‑i‑Insaf plan for an Oct 4 march demanding former prime minister Imran Khan’s release.

The blockade has left more than 2,000 vehicles seized, many still loaded, and container stacks lining roads into Islamabad. Transporters face daily demurrage charges of Rs30,000 to Rs40,000.

Driver Javid ur Rehman said, “Going toward Punjab feels like committing suicide.” Rana Mohammad Aslam, president of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association, said authorities began stopping vehicles around Sept 5. Pervaiz Khan and Sagheer Ahmed expressed concerns over lost earnings.