ISLAMABAD: In a bid to get full advantage of the Eid holidays, thousands of people thronged all the bus terminals to leave for their hometowns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fiter with their families and loved ones.
Being the last working days before Eidul Fiter, travellers crowded all the stands, making it difficult for women and children to even get tickets.
Transporters doubled the fares and even overloaded their buses to get full advantage of the situation.
As the people began leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eid, transporters started fleecing them by increasing fares while the authorities paid no heed to the issue.
During visits to various bus terminals, including Pirwadhai, Peshawar Morre, Faizabad and Karachi Company, APP observed that transporters were overcharging commuters.
The exchange of harsh words and scuffles between passengers and transporters were witnessed at almost every bus stand for overcharging.
Wasiq khan arrived at Faizabad bus stand with his family to travel to his hometown in Azad Kashmir, but transporters were demanding Rs 300 per ticket instead of Rs 100. "How can I pay extra money for nine tickets?" he asked.
Another passenger, Sulman Ali, said he wanted to go to Multan but transporters were demanding Rs 1,200 against the normal fare of Rs 800.
Ali said transporters, in connivance with the authorities, were taking full advantage of the occasion of Eid by demanding and charging extra money.
Meanwhile, transporters are running air-conditioned coaches for long routes such as Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Larkana, Sukkur and others and have increased fares by more than Rs 200 to Rs 300 per seat and further increase is expected in next two days.
When contacted, transporters said they had to run empty buses on their way back on the routes, so they were charging extra money to cover expenses.
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