Pakistan's efforts to keep supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan out of the capital have led to a pile-up of shipping containers at Karachi, the country's main port.
Truckers are refusing to drive north, over concerns their vehicles will be seized, and their containers used to barricade Islamabad, ahead of a march on Sunday planned by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party.
"Right now, going towards Punjab is like committing suicide," said driver Javid ur Rehman, 35, referring to the country's most populous province.
"The police seize the vehicles and snatch the containers, and then we are left distressed."
Steel shipping containers, filled with sand and welded together, have lined the roads into the capital for weeks in preparation for the march, which was originally due to take place on 27 September, to demand Khan's release from prison.
"This is not the way to stop protests," said Rana Mohammad Aslam, president of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association.
Authorities began stopping vehicles around 5 September, weeks before the initial scheduled march date, he said.
Former cricket star Khan, 73, was imprisoned in 2023 after being ousted by parliament. All convictions but one have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending.
His party remains under state scrutiny that has stifled participation in recent demonstrations.
The containers are ready for placement at key entry points into Islamabad, which is 870 miles (1,400km) from the port.
Transporters struggling against soaring prices say they cannot afford to have trucks seized.
Police requisitioned more than 2,000 vehicles in September ahead of the protest, they added, many still loaded with cargo and held for days with little or no compensation.
Their decision to stop taking the route has led to containers piling up at Karachi.
The disruption was impacting routes to Islamabad, the military city of Rawalpindi, and the cities of Jhelum, Peshawar and Attock, Mr Aslam said.
Some operators had stopped trips beyond Gujranwala in Punjab, while others took alternative routes.
The bills are piling up for those whose containers have been seized, as daily demurrage charges on one such container alone can amount to 30,000 to 40,000 rupees (£236 to £315), Mr Aslam said, adding to losses from missed deliveries and idle trucks.
Consumer prices climbed 10.26% in September from a year earlier, while the transport price index rose 27.43%, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday.
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Operators are struggling to pay drivers and maintain their fleets, as international shippers still demand payment regardless of the reason for the delay, Mr Aslam said.
He was holding talks to find a solution, he added, but transporters could stage their own demonstration if the complaints go unanswered.
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