Karachi Port Strike 2025: Reasons, $3 Billion Loss, Duration, and Who lead a Protest Leaders ?
In April 2025, Karachi’s port, Pakistan’s biggest trade hub, got stuck for days because of huge protests in Sindh. People were angry about a new canal project on the Indus River, and their strike messed up business big time. Let’s break it down: how long was the port down, how much money Pakistan lost, and who was behind it all?
How Long Did the Shutdown Last?
The Karachi port was in trouble for about 12 days, from around April 16 to April 27, 2025. Protesters blocked major roads like the National Highway in Sukkur, Ghotki, and Khairpur, so trucks couldn’t reach the port. The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said no goods were moving out, and stuff coming in just piled up. Even though the port wasn’t fully shut, the roadblocks made it useless for almost two weeks. Things only got a bit better when the government promised to talk on April 28.
How Much Money Did Pakistan Lose?
The damage was massive. Transporters said 30,000 trucks, each carrying goods worth Rs10 million, got stuck. That’s about Rs300 billion, or roughly $1.1 billion in losses for just the goods. Businesses lost even more—around Rs500 billion ($1.8 billion) because exports stopped and factories couldn’t run, according to Karachi’s business groups. Food prices went crazy too; (Karachi Port Strike 2025: Massive $3B Loss & Full Protest Story) rice jumped to Rs340 per kg, and chicken hit Rs800 per kg. Traders also paid millions daily in delay fees. This hit Pakistan’s economy hard, which was already struggling.
Political and Local Groups Behind the Karachi Port Strike 2025
The protests were led by a mix of Sindh’s local groups, lawyers, and political parties like the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). People in Sindh were upset about the Green Pakistan Initiative, a Rs900 billion plan to build six canals to water dry lands. They thought it would take away Sindh’s water from the Indus River, which farmers depend on. Groups like Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Sindh United Party, along with lawyers and PPP leaders like Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, organized sit-ins in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur. They blocked roads and demanded the project be scrapped. Even when the government paused it on April 24, protesters didn’t stop until they got a solid promise.
Why Were People So Angry?
Sindh relies on the Indus River for farming, and folks thought Punjab’s canal plan would leave them dry. The government said it would help grow more food, but Sindh wasn’t convinced. Protests got heated, with police clashing in places like Malir, but the crowds stood their ground.
Why Were Sindh’s People So Angry in April 2025?
In February 2025, Punjab’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and General Asim Munir kicked off a big canal project called the Green Pakistan Initiative. The plan was to build six canals to water dry lands and grow more food. But Sindh got upset, big time. Why? They thought these canals would take away water from the Indus River, which 80% of their farmers depend on to grow crops. Sindh felt Punjab was stealing their water, and that sparked huge protests. The government hit pause on the project on April 24, but people in Sindh didn’t trust them. They kept protesting, blocking roads and ports, until a big meeting was promised on April 28. For Sindh, it was about saving their farms and future.
