Goods transporters on Wednesday ended their nationwide strike after successful negotiations with authorities, claiming “all” their demands had been accepted.
“All of our demands have been accepted,” Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan told journalists in Karachi alongside Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar and Sindh government spokesperson and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. He said the strike was being called off on the basis of promises made to transporters by authorities.
According to Awan, authorities have agreed to substantially reduce fines and resolve issues related to axle-load limits, the issuance of heavy transport driving licenses, disputes with Customs authorities and the motorway police, and controversial provisions of the amended Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
As part of the government’s commitments, it was decided to grant temporary allocation of 50 acres for truck parking opposite the U.S. Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road under the administrative control of the Karachi Port Trust. The negotiators also agreed that around 600 acres on the Northern Bypass (M-10) would be acquired from the Sindh government for parking to ease congestion.
The decisions included construction of a 6km stretch of the Northern Bypass by April 2026, with the remaining portion to be completed subsequently. To further facilitate port traffic, the National Highway Authority plans to expand the route to six lanes, and a detailed design will be finalized by March 2026.
The Punjab minister, meanwhile, appreciated the transporters for holding a peaceful strike and announced the government had abolished heavy fines and first information reports (FIRs) registered against transporters. Referring to one of the transporters’ demands, he said a fitness certificate obtained from Karachi would be recognized in Punjab. “Fitness certificate will be valid for 6 months,” he added.
In line with the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, he continued, truck stands would be built in all cities of the province. “Rest areas will also be built for drivers,” he said, adding whoever knows how to drive can apply for a heavy transport vehicle license.
Wahab said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh maintains contact with transporters, adding
The transporters had initiated their strike 10 days ago over heavy fines, paralyzing the movement of raw materials, local production and exports.