LAHORE: Goods transporters announced Saturday they will raise transport charges by 15% following a fresh increase in petroleum prices, as fare hikes rippled across Lahore’s transport sector and raised fears of higher prices for essential commodities.
Malik Shahzad Awan, president of the Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance, condemned the fuel price increase and demanded the government withdraw toll taxes, withholding taxes and traffic challans imposed on transporters. He said government policies were preventing transporters from operating their vehicles.
Awan said transporters were under severe financial pressure and called for the removal of additional charges, fines and penalties. He warned that many operators had already been forced to park their vehicles because of rising operational costs.
The fare increases extended beyond goods transport. Mini Mazda operators and public transport services in Lahore raised fares by up to 10% in response to the fuel price hike, according to industry representatives. Transporters said the higher fuel costs could soon push up prices of essential goods.
The Pakistan Mazda and Goods Transporters Association raised fares for Mini Mazda and goods transport vehicles by up to 10%, citing the sharp rise in fuel costs. Public transport operators separately raised their own fares by a similar margin, passing the added costs on to passengers.
Under the revised fare structure, public transport charges for intercity routes rose by amounts ranging from 80 rupees to 900 rupees, depending on distance and destination, adding to the financial strain on commuters already facing high inflation.
Transport authorities have scheduled a meeting at Lahore’s Transport House to finalize an official fare structure in response to the fuel price increases, officials said.
Haji Sher Ali, president of the Pakistan Mazda and Goods Transporters Association, said the higher fuel prices had placed transporters under severe strain and that frequent changes in petroleum prices were making it difficult to plan business operations. He said the constant fluctuations were also making it nearly impossible to keep prices of essential commodities stable, adding that transporters face new challenges daily because of the fuel price adjustments.
The federal government raised petrol and diesel prices this week following renewed tensions in the Middle East. Diesel prices rose by 31.05 rupees per liter to 345.35 rupees, while petrol increased by 5.44 rupees per liter to 316.15 rupees.
