KARACHI: The strike by goods and oil transporters over fuel pricing and taxation is continuing, with a fresh round of negotiations with the government scheduled for today.

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has offered to mediate between the two sides in an effort to break the deadlock, reflecting mounting anxiety in the business community over the strike’s knock-on effects.

The stoppage has already idled a very large share of the country’s goods-carrying fleet, choking the movement of raw material to factories and finished goods to ports. Exporters have warned that prolonged disruption risks missed shipment deadlines and contractual penalties, while manufacturers face inventory build-ups and production slowdowns.

Transporters have tied their protest to fuel pricing and the tax burden on the sector, arguing that current margins are unsustainable. Earlier rounds of talks failed to produce a settlement, leaving the deadlock intact.

With the Independence Day holiday approaching and supply chains already stretched, pressure is building on both sides to reach an agreement quickly.