Transporters threaten fare raise if POL prices hiked

The Rawalpindi Transport Federation and Public Transport Union have threatened to announce an immediate increase in transport fares for the twin cities, suburban areas and long routes by the same percentage if the prices of petroleum products go up on Friday [today].

Sources said the relevant authorities have also decided to raise the fares for the metro buses and railways.

The transporters stated that the continuous increase in the prices of petrol and diesel was unbearable and unacceptable. “Instead of increasing the rates of petrol, diesel, gas and electricity, the caretaker government should immediately conduct transparent elections within 90 days,” they said.

They said the constant increase in the price of petrol and diesel over the past one and half months has harmed the transporters. “If the petrol rate is increased, the intra-city stop-to-stop fare will be set at Rs60 and the minimum fare within the inner route will be set at Rs100,” they warned.

Rawalpindi Public Transport Union Central President, Raja Muhammad Bashir, said: “The transport industry has reached the brink of collapse.”

He said along with the multi-fold increase in vehicle prices, the spare parts and tires have become 500 to 900 times more expensive.

“As fares increased, the number of passengers also decreased. The local route passengers have moved from wagons to Bykea. The people who visited their families every week now do so once a month while the families living at long distances have started going home on Eidul Fitr instead of every two to three months,” he explained.

Bashir demanded the government give subsidies on petrol and diesel prices. Rawalpindi Transport Federation Central Vice President, Asif Khan, said: “The government has made petrol and diesel the biggest source of its income. As the rates of petrol and diesel are increased, everything becomes more expensive.”

He said after the increase in transport fares, layoffs of the helpers of the long-route vehicles have started. “Today, the increase in the rates of petrol and diesel will be unacceptable to us,” he said. “Just like the Karachi Stock Exchange, military officers should also be appointed in the Ministry of Petroleum,” he added.

Spiralling inflation

The country is witnessing a concerning surge in inflation, as indicated by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which has recorded a 1.30% increase in weekly inflation and a staggering annual surge of 29.83%.

The rise in inflation has been attributed to several factors, with the most significant contributors being the soaring prices of electricity, essential food items like wheat, wheat flour, sugar, rice, chicken, and potatoes, and the quarterly upward revision in house rents.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2023.