Karachi/Lahore (HRNW) Goods transporters have increased fares by up to 25 percent after the hike in prices of petroleum products.
Karachi Goods Carrier Association General Secretary Ghulam Muhammad Afridi said they have decided to increased their fares by a quarter after the sharp increase in prices of petrol and diesel.
Afridi said the cost of a 20-foot container was Rs165,000 which has been increased to over two lakhs rupees, while the cost of a 40-foot container has been hiked from Rs250,000 to Rs285,000.
He said their expenses have doubled with the increase in diesel and petrol prices, leading to the increase in transport costs.
Earlier, the All-Pakistan Public Transport Owners Federation (APPTOF) announced a 10 percent increase in prices of inter-city fares.
The transport association spokesperson said the staggering raise in fuel prices would destroy the transport system across the country.
The spokesman announced the fare for Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan from Lahore have been increased by Rs100, Lahore to Gujranwala by Rs50, and from Lahore to Sadiqabad and Peshawar by Rs200. The fare from Lahore to Karachi had been increased by Rs600 and from Lahore to Hyderabad by Rs500.
Moreover, the fare from Lahore to Sargodha has been increased from Rs1050 to Rs1200; Lahore to Sialkot from Rs800 to Rs900; and Lahore to Bahawalpur from Rs2200 to Rs2400, Lahore to Multan from Rs1990 to Rs2090, and Lahore to Murree from Rs2450 to Rs2700.
The decision will be applicable to both air-conditioned and non-AC type buses. The transporters warned the government to strike if any action is taken against the hike in fares.
Leading trading and transport bodies have rejected a massive increase in the prices of petroleum products announced by the federal government.
Transporters also announced a hike in inter-city and local fares and warned of shutting down transport if the government created any hurdles.