KARACHI: Pakistan is trying to stop supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan from reaching the capital. To do this, authorities are using shipping containers to block roads into Islamabad. But this plan has caused a new problem: containers are piling up at Karachi port, about 1,400 kilometres away.
Truck drivers are refusing to drive north because they fear their trucks will be taken by police and their containers used to block the capital. An October 4 march on Islamabad has been planned by Imran’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). The march was originally set for September 27 but was postponed. The party wants Imran Khan released from prison.
“Right now, going toward Punjab is like committing suicide,” said driver Javid ur Rehman, 35. He has stopped making trips to Punjab, Pakistan’s most populated province. “The police seize the vehicles and snatch the containers, and then we are left distressed.”
For weeks, steel shipping containers filled with sand and welded together have been placed along roads leading into Islamabad. The former prime minister was jailed in 2023 after being removed by parliament. Most of his convictions have been suspended or overturned, and appeals are still pending.
Imran’s party is still being watched by the state, which has made it hard for people to join recent protests. “This is not the way to stop protests,” said Rana Mohammad Aslam, president of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association. He said authorities started stopping vehicles around September 5, weeks before the march was supposed to happen.
Pakistan’s home, information, commerce and finance ministries did not respond to requests for comment. Punjab police and the provincial home department also did not respond.
The containers are ready to be placed at key entry points into Islamabad. The capital region is larger than the country of Singapore.
Transport companies are already dealing with rising prices and say they cannot afford to have their trucks taken. Police took more than 2,000 vehicles in September before the march, they said. Many of these trucks were still loaded with goods and were held for days with little or no payment.
Because drivers are afraid to go north, containers are piling up at Karachi, Pakistan’s main trade gateway. Aslam said the problem is affecting routes to Islamabad, the military city of Rawalpindi, and the cities of Jhelum, Peshawar and Attock. Some companies have stopped trips beyond Gujranwala in Punjab. Others are taking different routes.
The costs are adding up for those whose containers have been seized. Aslam said daily demurrage charges for just one container can be Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 ($110 to $150). There are also losses from late deliveries and trucks sitting idle.
Consumer prices rose 10.26 per cent in September compared to last year. The transport price index went up 27.43 per cent, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.
Aslam said operators are struggling to pay drivers and keep their trucks running. International shipping companies still expect to be paid, no matter why the delay happened. He said he is in talks to find a solution, but transporters may hold their own protest if their complaints are ignored.
For Pervaiz Khan, 50, the risk was too high. He has kept a load of chemicals parked in Karachi. “Right now, my vehicle is loaded, but I am not going,” said the father of five. He loaded the chemicals at night. “We depart from Sindh, and the moment we enter Punjab, that’s when our troubles begin.”
Drivers stuck near Islamabad are upset about losing days of work and income. “If the roads open, our children’s livelihoods will open up,” said Sagheer Ahmed, 51. He said his children are waiting for him at home and depend on his earnings. “If not, we will just keep standing.”
