FBR suspends Afghan Transit Trade transportation from Karachi ports
Key Takeaways
- The FBR has ordered the indefinite suspension of Afghan Transit Trade transportation from Karachi ports.
- The suspension is due to severe capacity constraints and lack of space at the Quetta and Peshawar customs stations.
- Customs General Order No. 98/2025 formalized the immediate halt of all movement and required the unloading of loaded vehicles.
- Karachi Port and Port Qasim terminals have stopped all clearance processes for Afghan Transit Trade following the order.
- The situation has led to long queues of containers at terminals and stranded truck drivers awaiting border reopening.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has mandated the immediate suspension of all Afghan Transit Trade transportation originating from Karachi ports until further notice. This critical decision was formalized via Customs General Order No. 98/2025 following a high-level meeting chaired by the Director General of Transit Trade. The primary reason cited for this indefinite halt is the critical capacity constraints and lack of available space at the customs stations in Quetta and Peshawar to process incoming containers. As a result, all Karachi Port and Port Qasim terminals have ceased clearance operations for Afghan Transit Trade, instructing terminals to unload already loaded vehicles and cancel associated gate passes. This abrupt stoppage has caused significant disruption, resulting in hundreds of Transit Procedure (TP) containers forming long queues at terminals like SAPT, while drivers remain stranded en route to the border.
