KARACHI: Sindh Transport Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, on Wednesday, clarified that the government had no intention to ban Careem and Uber services.
Responding to a calling attention motion during the Sindh Assembly’s session under the chair of Deputy Speaker Syeda Shehla Raza on Wednesday, Nasir Hussain said that the use of non-commercial vehicles as commercial ones was illegal and the government could take action against such use of private vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1965 adding that implementation of transport rules was government’s responsibility.
“It was necessary that they paid 10 per cent tax to the excise department for the commercial use of their vehicles,” he said.
Read more: Careem banned in Karachi
The legislator said the government was fully aware of the transport problems faced by commuters and did not want to undo Careem and Uber services but it was the responsibility of both the companies to follow the relevant rules.
The minister said that Careem had repeatedly been directed to comply with motor vehicles laws while Uber was operating without fitness certificates and route permits.
“The government had not taken action against any vehicle while ‘Takht-i-Lahore’ had initiated action against both the services,” he said while taking aim at the Punjab government.
The minister said: “We don’t want to ban them as we feel that until the government arranges a better transport service for the citizens, it has no right to withdraw the facility provided by someone else.”
He said the government was also working on a bill to set up ‘rent-a-car authority’ to regulate their services and hoped a draft would be ready for legislation soon.
Earlier speaking on his call attention notice Jamal Ahmad said poor and middle-class people got cheap and better service in the form of Careem and Uber.
“Drivers of their vehicles were educated and had driving licences and people could call the vehicles online without much hassle and at a reasonable fare,” he asserted.
Read more: Careem, Uber not banned, says Sindh transport minister
