CNG fiasco: Commuters suffer the ‘2-way suppression’

First the strike, then the overcharging by cabbies trouble the passengers.

RAWALPINDI:

Compressed Natural Gas fiasco has put the commuters of the twin cities in a fix. After the strike of All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association was compounded by closure of petrol pumps, transport system of the city was left paralysed on Wednesday.

Taxi drivers, on the other hand, seized the opportunity by overcharging the commuters. The locals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad expressed concern over the “two-way suppression” first by the strike and then at the hands of transporters.

People were found stranded at different localities of the city including Pirwadhai, Faizabad, Chandni Chowk, R A Bazar, Chungi No 22, Askari-7, and Sadar.

Tariq Khan, a cab driver from Waris Khan area said that he never overcharged a commuter especially during the strike. However, he said that CNG was already not available twice a week and as the situation worsened due to the tussle between the association and government, many were forced to ply on petrol. “The drivers have no other choice, but to overcharge,” he said.

Ahmed, a local of Pirwadhai, was of the view that whenever strikes were called by different associations, the taxi drivers and other transporters started “looting the people”.

Moreover, Uzma Tahir, a college student standing at Saddar stop said that she was left surprised when a rickshaw driver asked for Rs130 to take her to Adiala Road. She said that it was very unfair for the commuters. “These people (drivers) always take illegal advantage of the situation, nobody can stop them, not even the government because their mismanagement leads to such a scenario,” she said.

However, talking to The Express Tribune, President All Pakistan Taxi Welfare Association Malik Aftab denied the overcharging by the cabbies. “We discourage such behaviour and do not indulge into overcharging. People are already suffering so much and we are aware of this,” he said.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2011.