As people begin leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eid, transporters have started fleecing them by increasing fares, while the authorities pay no heed to the issue. During visits to various bus terminals of Faizabad, Pirwadhi and Peshawar Mor, Pakistan Today observed that transporters were over-charging commuters. The exchange of harsh words and scuffles between passengers and transporters were witnessed at almost every bus stand over overcharging.
Iqbal Khan arrived at the Al Jalal Travel Pirwadhi bus stand with his six-member family looking to travel to his hometown in Kashmir to celebrate Eid but transporters were demanding Rs 250 per ticket rather than the usual Rs 190. “How I can pay extra money for six tickets?” he asked.
Another passenger Ali Nawaz said that he wanted to go to Sailkot but transporters were demanding Rs 260, not the normal fare of Rs 210. “The transporters were taking full advantage of the special occasion of Eid by demanding and charging extra money… but authorities are not taking action,” he said.
Meanwhile, transporters plying air-conditioned coaches for long routes such as those to Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Larkana, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and others have increased fares by more than Rs 200-300 per seat and it is expected to be increased further in the next two days.
There had always been problems around Eid as the passengers have to go outside the city to their native towns before Eid and return after Eid. Under these circumstances, transporters said they had to run empty buses on the way back on the route and so were charging extra money to cover expenses.
