Pakistan: Public transport fares and freight charges increase after fuel price hike
Islamabad, July 19
Public transport fares have increased, freight charges have been raised, and a nationwide strike threat has been issued by the petrol pump operators after the Pakistan federal government's policy of frequent revisions in fuel prices, local media reported on Sunday.
After the Pakistan government raised prices of petrol and diesel on Friday, transport operators in Rawalpindi and Islamabad revised fares with immediate effect. Public transport fares have increased by 15 to 17 per cent, while goods transport operators have increased freight charges by 20 per cent. Transport associations have said that fares will now be adjusted whenever fuel prices are revised, Pakistan's daily The Express Tribune reported.
Pick and drop service for office workers and students has announced that their charges will change as per the revision in petrol and diesel prices. The minimum stop-to-stop fare on public transport in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been raised to Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 60.
Long-haul transporters have increased their tariffs, with the freight charge for container, trailer and wheeler transport between Karachi and Peshawar reportedly increasing to PKR 800,000
According to transport operators, inter-city fares in Rawalpindi district have increased by 15 per cent, fares on intra-district routes have been raised by 17 per cent, while services operating between Rawalpindi and Islamabad have increased fares by 20 per cent. Long-distance transport operators have increased fares by 17 per cent, The Express Tribune reported.
On Friday, Pakistan raised petrol and diesel prices by PKR 5.44 and PKR 31.05 per litre, respectively, with immediate effect for the next three days until July 20, due to the impact of higher import premiums and international prices after renewed tensions in West Asia. After the increase, the price of petrol in Pakistan stands at PKR 316.15 per litre while the price of HSD is PKR 354.35, Pakistan's daily Dawn reported.
Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices after the renewed tensions between Iran and the US.
— IANS
Reader Comments
PKR 800,000 for freight between Karachi and Peshawar? That's enormous! 😲 Inflation across the border is something we in India can relate to, especially in states like Maharashtra and Delhi where we've seen similar fare hikes. But their daily price revision system sounds chaotic — even we have it fortnightly, and that itself is tough to manage. Praying for the people of Pakistan 🙏
As an Indian, I feel for the people across the border. This 31 rupee per litre hike in diesel is massive — it's like our own 2018-19 shocks. The government there needs a more predictable pricing policy instead of these knee-jerk revisions. Transport is the backbone of any economy, and when fares jump 20% overnight, it hurts everyone from students to shopkeepers.
The irony is that both India and Pakistan face similar fuel price volatility due to global tensions. But while we have some buffer with our strategic reserves and hedging, their daily price revision seems like a panic move. And the pick-drop service for school children... that's heartbreaking. Education costs are already high everywhere 😔
Honestly, Pakistan's situation is a cautionary tale for us too. Their daily revision policy is just adding to the chaos — transport operators are now making it a rule to adjust fares every time fuel prices change. That's not sustainable. The Indian government should take note and avoid such unpredictable moves. For now, I just hope sanity prevails there.
I'm an Indian student and I often see how similar fuel hikes affect our auto-rickshaw and bus fares in Bangalore. But 60 PKR minimum for a
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.