The logistics crisis coincides with the deployment of 3,500 shipping containers and 18,000 security personnel to thwart an Oct. 4 march demanding Khan's release from prison, costing the state over $300,000 per day. Meanwhile, three of Khan's sisters—Aleema, Uzma, and Noreen—are on hunger strike in jail to protest their detention. Their legal team alleges that authorities used backdated documents to justify arrests that occurred before legal authorization was completed and reused charges for which the women had been previously cleared.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Seized Cargo Containers Clog Karachi Port to Block Imran Khan Protests
Commodities19 days ago
Shipping and freight routes to northern Pakistan have stalled after the state seized more than 2,000 trucking vehicles in September to construct road barriers around Islamabad. The effort to block supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan has caused a cargo pile-up at Karachi, the country's largest port, 1,400 kilometers away, as drivers refuse to travel toward Punjab. Seized containers are accumulating demurrage charges of 30,000 to 40,000 rupees daily, disrupting deliveries to Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and other major cities.
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