PTA rejects transporters’ demand to increase fares

Rawalpindi: Transporters in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have decided to observe wheel jam strike against not increasing fares for an indefinite period from February 14.

The decision of strike has been taken as Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) rejected the demand to increase public service transport (PSV) fares and directed the concerned officials to impound vehicles overcharging fares to the commuters. The transporters had demanded to fix Rs14 stop-to-stop fare after POL prices increase in the country. District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Khalid Yameen Satti told ‘The News’ that we had sent demands of local transporters to Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) to increase fares after the increase of POL prices in the country. But, Punjab Transport Authority has rejected their demand, he said.

I have directed the officials concerned to take strict action against transporters involved in overcharging, he said. “We are negotiation with the transporters to cancel strike call in Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” he claimed.

Muthidda Transport Welfare Association (MTWA) President Malik Muhammad Shabbir, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Suzuki Association (RISA) Chairman Raja Muhammad Riaz and other transporters’ unions said that they would stop all public service transport on all routes from February 14, as Punjab government is not considering their problems. They could run vehicles in this situation as POL prices were increasing every month, they said. Uzma Irfan a passenger said that frequent increases in petroleum prices and public transport fares have made commuters’ lives difficult. Government should stop increasing POL prices while transporters should charge nominal fares by commuters, she appealed.