KARACHI, Oct 12: The public transporters in Karachi have been evading income tax and other taxes, besides depriving commuters of their right of claim in case of any accident, as they have given up issuing tickets for the last one decade in violation of the Motor Vehicle Act.

None of the passengers is issued tickets in over 7,600 buses, minibuses and coaches plying on the city roads, said an official of the provincial transport department.

The Regional Transport Authority and the DIG, Traffic Police, are responsible for taking action in the matter but since it is considered a minor offence, they generally do not take cognizance of it, he observed.

A decade back, the practice of issuing tickets to the commuters was in existence, but all of a sudden the transporters gave it up and nobody raised a voice against it. This helped the transporters save expenses being incurred on printing of tickets and evade taxes, as in the absence of ticket books, the actual income of transporters could not be ascertained, the official added.

“It is obligatory upon the transporters, under the Motor Vehicle Act, to issue tickets as it also establishes the passengers’ right to claim compensation in case of an accident,” he said, adding that after the transporters stopped issuing tickets, scuffles among commuters and conductors often took place when the latter forgot to pay the balance amount or when they repeatedly demanded fare from the same passenger or in case the passengers demanded back the fare money when the engine of the vehicle failed and they have to board another bus.

Moreover, in case of an accident, which occurs due to the negligence of drivers, the owners of transport are responsible for paying the damages.

If a commuter loses his life or an organ, tickets are the only evidence for claiming damages by proving that the victim was travelling in that vehicle.

According to the official, currently about 7,600 public transport vehicles were plying in Karachi, which include 1,763 buses, 4,418 minibuses and 1,421 coaches.—PPI