KARACHI, Jan 1: The Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI), representing bus, minibus, coach, taxi, yellow cab, truck and rickshaw owners’ associations, has rejected the increase in the prices of petroleum, oil and lubricants.

KTI leaders, in a press release on Tuesday, also demanded of the ministry of petroleum to disband the Oil Companies Advisory Committee, take over its assignment to review diesel and petrol prices and also withdraw the price increase announced on Monday.

They claimed that it was agreed with the Sindh minister of transport that public transport fares would be revised only if diesel price was decreased or increased by Rs2 or more.

They said when the Advisory Committee decreased the price by Rs2 a litre on Dec 15, the city transporters “voluntarily” cut fares from Dec 21, after a meeting with the executive district officer transport, deputy secretary transport and DIG traffic.

They maintained that the latest increase of Rs1.65 a litre in the price of diesel had compelled transporters to think of withdrawing the cut in fares which, they feared, would cause arguments between commuters and transporters.

They said transporters could not bear this price hike nor could they afford to pay development or any other charges.

The KTI president, Syed Irshad Husain Bukhari, has called an emergency meeting of all constituent units to consider and discuss their future course of action.—PPI