Railway fares can rise by 7 to 8pc: minister

LAHORE: Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday said railway fares could be increased by 7 to 8 per cent amid the fuel crisis in the country.

At a press conference at the Pakistan Railways Headquarters here, he said: “After the settlement of oil import issues with Russia, we all can expect that cheap oil will soon be available in the country.” He said the Pakistan Railways faced over Rs 5 billion losses due to floods and now was facing obstacles to paying salaries to employees. Commenting on soaring inflation, he said the government was taking effective steps, but it required a collective approach to curb the inflation cycle.