Facts checked in September 2026.
How Pakistan's exports leave the country
Almost every export from Pakistan ends up at Karachi. Inland cities clear customs at dry ports and air cargo units, then send sealed containers south by road or rail. This is each customs station's share of Pakistan's exports:
| Customs station | Share of exports |
|---|---|
| Port Qasim, Karachi | 40.4 percent |
| Karachi Port | 34.3 percent |
| Lahore Air Freight Unit | 8.1 percent |
| Sialkot (dry port and airport) | 3.44 percent |
| Islamabad Air Freight Unit | 3.42 percent, mostly surgical goods and medicines |
| Lahore Dry Port | 1.79 percent |
| Chaman (Afghanistan border) | 1.77 percent |
| Faisalabad | 0.48 percent |
| Quetta | 0.17 percent |
| Multan and Peshawar | 0.08 percent each |
Source: Pakistan Single Window (PSW) assessment report, as reported by ProPakistani, 2024.
Karachi's ports and who runs them
| Terminal | Location | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi Gateway Terminal (KGTL) | East Wharf, berths 6 to 10 | AD Ports Group (UAE) with Kaheel Terminals, 50-year concession from 2023. Took over from Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) |
| Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose (KGTML) | East Wharf, berths 11 to 17 | AD Ports Group, 25-year concession for bulk and general cargo |
| Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) | West Wharf, berths 26 to 30 | Hutchison Ports (Hong Kong). Karachi's first container terminal, operating since 1996 |
| South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) | South Wharf, Keamari Groyne | Hutchison Ports. A deep-water terminal that can take large container ships |
| Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) | Port Qasim, about 35 km east of Karachi Port | DP World (Dubai) |
All cities
| City | Province | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | Sindh | Pakistan's port city and largest trading center |
| Lahore | Punjab | Punjab's capital and a major industrial and air cargo hub |
| Faisalabad | Punjab | The center of Pakistan's textile industry |
| Sialkot | Punjab | Pakistan's export city for instruments, sports goods and gloves |
| Gujranwala | Punjab | An engineering and metalworking city in Punjab's golden triangle |
| Multan | Punjab | South Punjab's center for cotton, textiles and mangoes |
| Islamabad | Islamabad Capital Territory | The capital, with Rawalpindi, a hub for air cargo, trading houses and gems |
| Peshawar | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | The gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia, and Pakistan's gem market |
| Quetta | Balochistan | Balochistan's capital and a trading hub for stone, dry fruits and minerals |
| Hyderabad | Sindh | Sindh's second city, known for bangles, textiles and crafts |
| Wazirabad | Punjab | Pakistan's city of cutlery |
| Gujrat | Punjab | The capital of Pakistan's fan industry |
| Chiniot | Punjab | Pakistan's center of hand-carved wooden furniture |
| Kasur | Punjab | Punjab's leather tanning center |
| Sheikhupura | Punjab | An industrial district next to Lahore, with rice mills and a large business park |
Your city not listed? We work with exporters anywhere in Pakistan. Contact us.
Common questions
Do you work with exporters outside these cities?
Yes. We work with exporters anywhere in Pakistan, by phone, video call and email, in English and Urdu.
Which port do most Pakistani exports use?
Port Qasim and Karachi Port together handle about three quarters of Pakistan's exports. Inland exporters clear customs at dry ports and send containers to Karachi.