Cargo stacks up as Pakistan seizes containers to block capital routes

Pakistan's attempt to prevent former Prime Minister Imran Khan's supporters from entering the capital has resulted in a buildup of shipping containers in Karachi, the nation's primary port. The containers, packed with sand and welded together, have lined the roads leading to Islamabad for weeks, causing a blockade planned for October 4 by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party.

Truckers are hesitant to travel north due to the fear of their vehicles being seized and the containers being used to barricade the city. Javid ur Rehman, a 35-year-old truck driver, stated that going towards Punjab is akin to committing suicide. Containers loaded with cargo have been positioned at key entry points into Islamabad, a metropolitan area larger than Singapore.

Transporters are facing rising costs and frustrated by the inability to reclaim seized vehicles. The disruption has affected routes to Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Peshawar, and Attock. Transporters are struggling to pay drivers and maintain their fleets, with daily demurrage charges for one container ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 rupees ($110 to $150).

Operators are seeking solutions, but transporters may resort to staging their own protest if their concerns remain unaddressed.