KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday directed public transporters to reduce their fares as the prices of petroleum products were reduced in the recent fortnightly review.
“The Government of Pakistan has recently reduced P.O.L prices as well as diesel prices by Rs 30 per litre,” the provincial authority said in a letter to transporters.
“You are directed to immediately reduce the fares of public service vehicles and in case of failure strict action will be initiated,” it added.
Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday reduced the price of petrol by Rs 272 per litre, diesel by Rs 258 per litre, kerosene by Rs 164 07 paise per liter and light diesel oil by Rs 152 68 paise per litre. What has been announced?
Although the citizens of Karachi who use public transport on a daily basis appreciated the government’s ideas, they believe that these instructions will not have any impact on the transporters.
Imran Ismail, who commutes from Malir to II Chaudharygarh Road, told JEE News that he has seen bus fares increase by around 40 percent since the economic situation worsened.
Commodity prices are skyrocketing, inflation is at a historic high of 36.4 percent, the fastest in South Asia, even surpassing the insolvent nation of Sri Lanka.
Journalist Khatib Ahmed, who goes to Guru Mandir from North Nazimabad, said that when the government increases the POL rates, transporters increase the fare but when the rates are low, they do not bring them.
The 25-year-old, who frequently uses Chingchi rickshaws for travel, said the government should fix a rate that is affordable for both passengers and transporters.
He called on the government to ensure that its directives to reduce rates are implemented as it would be in the interest of the inflation-affected public.
