Transporters on Sunday announced 5 to 10 percent increase in inter-city transport fares with immediate affect. Chairman All Pakistan Transport Owners Association Azam Khan Niazi while talking to Business Recorder said that fares were being revised and from today (Monday) new fares would be applicable with immediate effect.
He said a strategy was being devised to hold protest against the government for continuous increase in prices of petroleum products and a countrywide strike would soon be announced. He said they were aware of the plight of ordinary people but government has left them with no other option except to increase fares. He said the number of passengers declined drastically after each hike in the fares and it was in their loss. It is pertinent to mention that the government had increased the price of petrol by Rs8.02, diesel by Rs4.70 and that of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs11.98. The fares of inter-city routes have gone up by Rs50 to Rs200. The fare for travel between Karachi and Lahore has been increased from Rs2100 to Rs 2400 while Lahore-Islamabad ride on public transport would now cost Rs650 instead of Rs 600. Transporters said they were compelled by the government to increase the fares, as they had not any option except to increase intercity fare after the exorbitant increase POL.
Azam Khan said that transporters associations from across the country were co-ordinating and meetings had been called of provincial chapters. "In a day or two, we may announce transporters' strike against POL price increase," he added.
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