The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ordered an immediate suspension of Afghan Transit Trade transportation from Karachi ports, citing severe congestion and a lack of storage capacity at customs stations in Quetta and Peshawar.
According to officials, the decision was made during a high-level meeting at the Directorate of Transit Trade Headquarters, Customs House Karachi, chaired by the Director General of Afghan Transit Trade. Directors from Quetta and Peshawar participated in the session via Zoom.
Following the meeting, the Customs General Order (CGO) No. 98/2025 was issued, announcing that the movement of Afghan transit cargo has been suspended indefinitely. The order stated that both Quetta and Peshawar customs stations have reached full capacity, with no space left to accommodate additional containers.
The directive instructed all terminals to offload containers already loaded on trucks and cancel all gate passes related to Afghan Transit Trade until further notice.
As a result, both Karachi Port and Port Qasim have halted clearance operations for Afghan transit shipments.
According to customs sources, hundreds of containers are lined up at South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) and other port facilities, while many trucks loaded with goods are stranded along routes to Quetta and Peshawar. Truck drivers are reportedly waiting for the resumption of border movement.
Officials said the suspension will remain in place until the congestion at inland customs depots is cleared and normal operations can safely resume.
