Transporters jack up fares with second hike in POL prices this month

Islamabad: The long routes and goods transporters have increased fares by 10 per cent after a fresh hike in POL rates here on Sunday.

Petrol price has been increased by Rs3.01 to Rs147.83 and high-speed diesel by Rs3 to 144.62 per litre. The price of kerosene oil has also gone up by Rs3 per litre and now it would be sold at 116.48 per litre. The light diesel oil has been jacked up by Rs3.33 to Rs114.54 per litre.

The hike in rates of petroleum products, the second time in a month has started taking its toll on the lives of the common man who has to bear its brunt in the shape of rising prices of kitchen items and transportation.

The local transporters also increased fares by own and taking extra charges by the public. The majority of local transporters are charging Rs20 stop-to-stop presenting an excuse that the sitting government is increasing POL prices twice a month and so how they could survive in this situation.

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Rashid Ali told ‘The News’ that they were taking action against transporters for charging extra fares. He has admitted that local transporters demanded an increase in fares. “I have sent their application to Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) for further action,” he said.

People are already buying 1-kilogram sugar at Rs90-140, milk at Rs130, mutton at Rs1,600, beef at Rs700, rice at Rs200, onion at Rs40, potato at Rs50, a 20-kilogram ‘atta’ bag at Rs1,150 to Rs1,600, 1-kilogram ghee at Rs430, garlic at Rs250, ginger at Rs200, 1-kilogram tea pack at Rs1,100, red chili at Rs400, chicken meat at Rs320 and prices of all vegetable and pulses touching to the sky.

Muhammad Imtiaz, a resident of Adiala Road said that the PTI government is only increasing the financial burden of the public but surprisingly nobody asks the Prime Minister what he was doing, he denounced.

All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) President Haji Irshad protested against the second hike in POL prices in a month saying the government is taking revenge on the public. “Government is continuously telling lies and befooling innocent public in the country,” he denounced.