Commuters in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad find themselves at the receiving end of CNG filling stations’ closure for three days a week as tax drivers have increased their fares drastically under the pretext of gas load-shedding. It is true that the taxi drivers are also facing difficulties, but, unfortunately, they pass the burden on to people.
They maintain the three-day CNG closure has compelled them to increase fares, without which they could not earn enough money to make ends meet. The taxi drivers in the twin cities have increased fares by 50 percent which hit hard the commuters. “It has virtually become impossible to travel by taxi as fares have skyrocketed,” said Ghulam Ahmed, a commuter. Inflation affects everybody, but it does not mean that they should start fleecing the public, he added.
Taxi Driver Welfare Association (TDWA) President Aftab told Pakistan Today that President Zardari was responsible for every problem. “It is obvious that a driver who runs his car on petrol will also charge according to the petroleum prices,” he said, adding that most of the drivers were now using petrol owing to CNG shortages. He said about 30,000 taxis in Rawalpindi and 21,000 run on CNG in Islamabad. He said the closure of CNG meant starvation for them. “We have now decided to stage a grand rally in front of GPO Rawalpindi on July 25 if the government fails to end the CNG closure for three days,” he added. Meanwhile, a large number of taxi drivers staged a protest at Faizabad bus stop against the CNG closure the other day. They hoisted black flags on their vehicles and chanted slogans against the government.
