Transport Strike: Goods Carriers Postpone Nationwide Protest After Karachi Talks
Governor Sindh says stakeholders agreed to prioritise national interests as officials and transporters discuss their demands and ongoing concerns.
Sindh Governor chairs talks with government officials and goods transport representatives in Karachi.
KARACHI, August 16, 2026 — Goods transporters have postponed their nationwide transport strike following a high-level meeting with federal and provincial authorities in Karachi.
The meeting was chaired by Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi and focused on the concerns, demands and challenges facing the country’s goods transport sector.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani, Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab attended the meeting.
Senior officials from the Communications Ministry, Motorway Police and National Highway Authority (NHA) also participated.
A delegation of the Pakistan Goods Transport Association, led by its President Malik Shehzad Akbar, represented the transporters.
Transporters Agree to Postpone Strike
Following the meeting, Governor Nehal Hashmi, Abdul Aleem Khan, Murtaza Wahab and Malik Shehzad Akbar held a joint press conference.
The governor said authorities had heard the concerns and demands of all stakeholders in detail.
He said all sides were willing to cooperate and make sacrifices in the larger national interest.
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Malik Shehzad Akbar later announced the postponement of the nationwide strike.
He said the decision followed the government’s engagement with transporters and the progress made towards addressing their concerns.
The announcement brings temporary relief after the prolonged disruption to goods transportation across the country.
Governor Calls for National Unity
Governor Hashmi said Pakistan and the wider region were going through an extraordinary situation.
He called for national unity, mutual cooperation and a focus on the country’s broader interests.
The governor also praised Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for working towards Pakistan’s stability, development and economic progress.
He said the current situation required all stakeholders to resolve disagreements through consultation and mutual understanding.
Government and Transporters Seek Way Forward
Hashmi also referred to a tripartite defence agreement reached in Makkah Mukarramah, describing it as an important development for regional peace and stability.
He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir with playing key roles in the development.
The governor stressed that stakeholders should continue working together to resolve outstanding issues while keeping the national interest at the forefront.
The postponement of the transport strike now gives the government and transport representatives an opportunity to continue discussions and work towards a longer-term settlement of the sector’s demands.
