Islamabad, October 16, 2023 – Pakistan’s Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has urged transporters to reduce fares and freight charges in light of the government’s significant cuts in petroleum product prices.
Solangi emphasized that transporters have a responsibility to pass on the benefits of reduced fuel prices to the general public. In a social media post, he noted that the government had recently lowered the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 40 and Rs 15, respectively.
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“Whenever the prices of these vital products surged, the transport sector promptly increased their freight charges and transportation fares. Now, they, the transporters, are obligated to provide relief to the masses by reducing these costs,” the minister stated in his post.
Solangi’s call comes in response to longstanding concerns over the transport industry’s practice of raising fares and charges in tandem with rising fuel prices but being slower to adjust them when fuel prices drop. He urged provincial and district administrations to play an active role in ensuring that these reductions in fuel costs translate into real savings for the general public.
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This move is expected to bring a welcome respite to consumers who have been grappling with escalating transportation costs amid previous fuel price hikes, offering them some relief as they travel around the country.
