Transporters have joined heads to launch a countrywide strike against recent hike in fuel prices and have also announced a 5 to 7 percent surge in the inter-city transport fares on Sunday.
The government had hurled another fuel bomb at masses on Saturday by increasing the prices of petrol by Rs 8.02, diesel by Rs 4.70 and that of Compressed Natural Gas by Rs 11.98. After issuance of the notification of surge, petrol price went up to Rs 106 and diesel jumped up to Rs 108. Meanwhile, the fares of inter-city routes have gone up by Rs 50 to Rs 200. The fare for travel between Karachi and Lahore has been increased from Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,400 while Lahore-Islamabad ride on public transport would now cost Rs 650 instead of Rs 600. Transporters say they were forced by government to increase the fare and they had to earn a living also. All Pakistan Transport Owners Association Chairman Azam Khan Niazi, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that fares were being revised and from today (Monday) new fares would be applicable. He said a strategy was being devised for a country-wide strike and protest against government for increasing prices at regular intervals.
He said they were aware of the plight of ordinary people but government had left them with no option. He said the number of passengers declined drastically after each hike in the fares and it was in their loss. He said the transporters associations were coordinating from all over the country and meetings had been called at provincial level. “In a day or two, the transporters will launch a strike against these hikes,” Khan warned the government. He said government had to withdraw increase in diesel prices. Earlier in the day, APTOA General Secretary Arshad Niazi, while talking to reporters, issued a deadline till 8pm on Sunday for government to withdraw otherwise not only the fares would be increased, but strike would also be observed.
