Welcome relief: Goods carriers reduce fares by 5%

The decision to reduce the fares comes after the decrease in fuel prices

KARACHI:

Karachi Goods Carriers' Association (KGCA), the apex body of goods transporters in the city, has decided to reduce fares by five per cent, following the decrease in fuel prices.

The representatives met the Sindh transport minister, Mumtaz Jakhrani, after the announcement to decrease the fuel prices. It was decided to reduce the fares by five to seven per cent. The provincial transport department subsequently issued a notification based on the agreement with the transporters. Meanwhile, the minister claims he is in touch with other transporters to cut prices in line with the decrease in petroleum prices.



Speaking to The Express Tribune, KGCA vice-president Malik Sher Khan confirmed the decision to reduce the fares. He added that he was trying to convince other transporters' associations, including the Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTA) and the All Pakistan Oil Tanker Owners' Association (APOTOA) to cut down the fares.

"Our fares usually vary according to the demand and supply in the market," explained Khan, adding that the decrease in fares will ultimately have an impact on various commodities transported in their vehicles.



For his part, KTI general secretary Syed Mehmood Afridi said they had not increased their fares since 2011, when diesel was priced at Rs93 per litre. "The minister should not expect us to decrease fares because we did not increase them even when the prices of diesel and CNG were increasing."

KTI representatives meet the provincial transport secretary, Taha Faruqui, on Wednesday but are not prepared to reduce their fares. Currently the minimum fare of public transport vehicles is Rs10 while the maximum is Rs20.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2014.