Transporters overcharge despite fuel price drop

Transporters across the province have failed to lower their fares despite the recent decrease in petroleum prices.

Despite a significant decrease of Rs40 in petrol prices and Rs15 in diesel prices, inter-provincial and intra-city transporters have refused to budge on their fares.

Commuters along GT Road, Charsadda Road, Kohat Road, and Bara have reported that they are still being charged higher fares, despite the substantial drop in fuel costs.

Similarly, transporters in other major cities, such as Rawalpindi, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Lahore, Karachi, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Dir, Chitral, and numerous other districts, have also been persistently charging inflated fares.

As residents struggle to cope with an already strained economy, the district administration is facing severe criticism for its inability to address the rampant increase in prices.

The government has cut the prices of petrol and diesel owing to the decreasing trend of petroleum prices in the international market, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The price of petrol has drop by Rs40 to Rs283.38 a litre effective October 16. High-speed diesel cost dropped by Rs15 to Rs303.18 a litre.

Consequently, the interim premier directed the concerned authorities in the federal and provincial governments to activate a strict price control mechanism.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2023.