Freight charges slashed by 6% after fuel price relief

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced a six per cent reduction in freight charges following the federal government's decision to cut petroleum product prices, terming the move a welcome step for the transport and business sectors.

Announcing the decision, Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan said the transporters appreciated the Prime Minister for providing relief in diesel and petrol prices and expressed hope that further reductions would follow in the coming days.

He said that lower fuel prices benefit not only transporters but the entire economy, adding that current geopolitical conditions had significantly affected import and export activities, leading to a sharp decline in business operations.

Awan claimed that due to reduced workload and rising costs, thousands of transport vehicles had been parked, as operators struggled to sustain operations in the prevailing conditions.

He further said that the sector was running at a loss in the larger national interest and had previously demanded relief in withholding tax, toll tax, and what he termed "excessive challans" issued by traffic and motorway police.