In Karachi, Pakistan, people continue to pay increased fares while using public transport, despite a Sindh government order that bus owners should freeze fares in exchange for a fuel subsidy, local media reported on Thursday.
Transport operators, including bus, minibus, and rickshaw drivers, as well as those who operate school vans and goods carriers, continue to demand higher fares. After the government issued subsidy orders, many people in Karachi were expecting that transport owners would revert to pre-conflict fare levels, especially after transport bodies reportedly agreed to lower rates, Dawn, Pakistan's leading daily, reported. However, the government's plan to protect people from increased transportation fares due to fluctuating fuel prices has yet to provide tangible relief.
Speaking to Dawn, a passenger who chose not to take a bus after being told that the minimum fare was Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 50, said that such experiences had become routine after the increase in petroleum prices.
He said, "I used to pay PKR 20, sometimes PKR 30, for a short distance. Now they are demanding double. Is this justified? Have fuel prices doubled? Absolutely not. Then why are fares being doubled?”
Another passenger said that he was asked to pay either the increased fare or get off the vehicle when he told the conductor about the government's order. He questioned the government over the non-implementation of their fare freeze order and asked what action would be taken against transport operators violating directives issued by the authorities.
Shahbaz, a college student, said that the rise in prices had significantly impacted his finances. He said, "I work part-time to support my education, but the additional Rs60 in daily commuting costs has become a burden," adding that he now walks at least two kilometres each way to manage expenses, Dawn reported.
Parents of schoolchildren have also mentioned about the hike in van fees, with some reporting an increase of PKR 1,000 to 2,000 per month. A parent said, "For families with two or three school-going children, this increase is not manageable. Transport alone is now taking up a significant portion of our monthly budget."
Meanwhile, residents in Peshawar and other parts of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing difficulties due to a shortage of natural gas. CNG stations remained closed across the province on April 5.
Most school van and bus operators had suspended their services due to the unavailability of CNG, while public transporters had increased fares after they started using petrol, placing further financial burden on residents, The Express Tribune, another leading daily in Pakistan, reported.
CNG filling stations remained closed for the second consecutive day in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 5. Several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced unannounced power outages of natural gas, further increasing the problems for domestic and commercial consumers.
The closure of CNG stations had forced many vehicles to either stop operations or run at higher prices of petrol, causing further increases in transport fares. School transporters are among the worst impacted, as they have said that running vehicles on petrol is beyond their capacity, leaving them with no option except to disrupt their services, The Express Tribune reported. Parents had voiced concern over the suspension of school transportation, fearing it would impact education and the daily routine of children.