KARACHI
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ordered an immediate suspension of cargo transportation under the Afghan Transit Trade from Karachi ports, bringing operations to a halt and triggering major disruptions in regional trade flow.
According to official directives, all port terminals have been instructed to offload containers that were already loaded onto vehicles for transit to Afghanistan. The decision followed a high-level meeting held at the Directorate of Transit Trade Headquarters in Karachi, chaired by the Director General (DG) Afghan Transit Trade. Directors from Quetta and Peshawar participated in the session via Zoom.
Following the meeting, a Customs General Order (CGO) was issued, confirming that cargo movement under the Afghan Transit Trade has been suspended indefinitely. The reason cited was a complete lack of capacity at customs stations in Quetta and Peshawar, where no additional containers can currently be accommodated.
“All terminals are directed to offload any Afghan-bound containers, cancel issued gate passes, and halt further transportation until further notice,” the CGO stated. As a result, both Karachi Port and Port Qasim have suspended all clearance operations linked to Afghan transit shipments.
Customs sources told reporters that the situation on the ground has become increasingly chaotic. At the South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT), long queues of transit containers have formed, with hundreds of trucks already loaded and awaiting clearance. Many more are reportedly stranded on routes leading to Quetta and Peshawar.
Truck drivers, now forced to wait indefinitely, expressed frustration over the sudden halt. “We’ve been stuck here for hours, not knowing when the border will reopen,” said one driver parked near SAPT, describing the growing uncertainty spreading among transporters.
The suspension marks yet another challenge for Pakistan’s transit trade operations a sector already strained by logistical bottlenecks, security checks, and diplomatic sensitivities tied to cross-border commerce with Afghanistan.
