As the Eid travel rush reaches its peak, passengers across the country found themselves between a rock and a hard place on Saturday — struggling to secure tickets while being fleeced by transporters hiking fares.
Despite special Eid trains and government crackdowns, workers and students returning to their hometowns lamented that transporters were making a fast buck by charging exorbitant rates.
Many were left scrambling for last-minute seats, with some even forced to pay through the nose for their journey home.
A day after the last Eid special train departed from Karachi Cantt to Lahore, travellers — particularly workers and students — lamented that transporters were charging more than the fixed fares. Many said they had little choice but to pay extra to reach their hometowns in time for the festivities.
Pakistan Railways (PR) had announced a 20% discount on fares for the first three days of Eid, but passengers pointed out that the concession did not apply to the five special trains operating in the days leading up to the holiday, leaving them with no real relief.
Due to high fares on the motorway and GT Road, many travellers preferred trains, while some had no option but to travel via busses.
The Lahore Railway Station saw a surge in passengers, particularly after offices closed for Eid.
To accommodate the increased demand, PR added extra coaches to several trains, including three additional bogies - one AC and two sleeper coaches - for routes to Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Multan.
However, passengers argued that fare reductions starting after Eid were of little use to those traveling beforehand.
"Most people head to their hometowns before Eid and return a few days later, so the discount should have covered those days as well," a commuter said.
Many urged the railways to improve service quality and ensure punctuality instead of relying solely on fare reductions.
In order to monitor fare violations, the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) intensified its crackdown against overcharging transporters, with special squads deployed at major bus terminals, including Faizabad, Mandi Mor, Karachi Company and 26 Number Chungi.
An ITP spokesperson said officers were checking fare lists, issuing fines to violators and reimbursing passengers who had been overcharged. Citizens were encouraged to report fare violations to the ITP helpline at 1915.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered a strict crackdown on transporters charging excessive fares from passengers during Eid, directing authorities to ensure adherence to official fare rates across all districts.
Chairing a meeting on transport management, CM Maryam instructed deputy commissioners to closely monitor fare compliance and prevent overcharging.
She said that official fare lists must be prominently displayed at all bus terminals to prevent exploitation of homebound travellers, particularly low-income passengers.
In addition to fare regulation, the chief minister also ordered cleanliness drives at bus stands, ensuring proper seating arrangements and functional fans in waiting areas.
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