Rising fuel costs: transporters put vehicles off the roads

Following the recent increase in petroleum prices, public transporters in Karachi have begun parking their vehicles at terminals, effectively disrupting transport services, said General Secretary of the Karachi Transport Ittehad, Haji Tawab Khan.

A meeting of the Karachi Transport Ittehad was held with representatives of bus owners, minibuses, Mazda operators, and other transport groups to discuss the sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices. During the meeting, a majority of participants initially suggested a symbolic strike, followed by an indefinite strike. However, no full consensus could be reached among transporters on launching a formal strike.

Speaking to the media, Haji Tawab Khan stated that the recent hike in fuel prices is unbearable that has not been seen in the history of Pakistan. He alleged that the government is bent upon recovering IMF loan from transporters and general public.

He explained that each transporter is now facing an additional daily expense of around Rs15,000 due to increased fuel costs, while overall monthly expenses per vehicle could reach up to Rs300,000. He added that transporters are unable to increase fares, as doing so would raise per-stop fares to between Rs150 and Rs300 per passenger.