Textile exporters have raised serious concerns about prolonged transport disruptions at the Sindh-Punjab border, where ongoing protests against the construction of canals have halted nearly 30,000 shipping containers, resulting in significant delays and financial losses.
According to media reports, the National Highway has been blocked for the past ten days by protesters opposing new canal projects on the Indus River, leaving thousands of trucks stranded and suspending the movement of essential commodities, including petrol and food supplies. Industry representatives warn that even after protests end, clearing the backlog could take around 25 days.
Muhammad Shafqaat, CEO of the Pakistan Textile Council (PTC), said that due to a four-day strike by goods transporters in Karachi, about 20,000 to 25,000 export-bound containers had already faced major delays. He added that over 1,000 textile-related containers in Faisalabad are currently stranded, causing shortages of raw materials and disruption to factory operations.
In a joint statement, Khurram Mukhtar, Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), and Chairman Sohail Pasha said textile exports valued between $400 million and $500 million had been stuck for 11 days due to these disruptions.Â
They highlighted the risk of Pakistan losing credibility in international markets, as export orders face delays or cancellations, placing severe financial strain on businesses.
PTC Chairman Fawad Anwar urged both the federal and provincial governments of Sindh and Punjab to resolve the transport crisis swiftly, citing losses from perishable goods, deteriorating vehicles, and increased costs for businesses. Khurram Mukhtar estimated potential losses to the national economy at around $800-900 million if the issue persists.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Commerce expressed concerns on Monday about delays in finalizing the Export Facilitation Scheme. Committee members noted that although the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued a draft notification (SRO) on April 12, a final notification is still pending, causing increased demurrage charges for containers stranded at ports.
Additionally, the committee approved “The Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2025,” aimed at providing retrospective relief from July 1, 2020, on imports related to foreign grant-in-aid projects.
