KARACHI: While the intercity bus and coach operators have already hiked prices ahead of Eidul Fitr, the Sindh government on Monday warned of strict action against the transporters if they attempted to overcharge the people visiting families and relatives on the occasion of the religious festival.

Speaking at a press conference, Sindh Information Minister said FIRs would be registered against the transporters if they charged more than the notified fares.

He said that no one would be allowed to increase fares arbitrarily. “If the transporters have concerns on this issue, they should contact the government,” he added.

Accompanied by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani and party leader Salman Abudllah Murad, he said the transporters would not be allowed to take advantage of the situation ahead and during the Eid holidays as a large number of people visited their native abodes to meet their near and dear ones on the Eid.

Sharjeel says FIRs will be lodged against those found involved in charging more than notified fares

Lately, Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha are the busiest times for the intercity bus operators as millions of people hit the road to visit relatives or for a short vacation.

With the five-day holidays, the Eidul Fitr will mark the first major break from work and educational activities this year and more people are likely to travel from Karachi to interior parts of the province and upcountry.

The information minister said the people were already very worried as everything had become expensive due to high inflation and swift increase in oil prices. “The Sindh government is trying hard to reduce the burden of inflation on the people,” he added.

He said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had rejected the agenda of increasing the fares of the Peoples Bus Service in the provincial cabinet and postponed the raise, saying that the provincial government would bear the subsidy on it.

He said that two routes of electric buses had been started and the third one was being started from Tuesday (today), which would pass from Power House Chowrangi to Sohrab Goth, Teen Hatti from Shahrah-i-Pakistan, Guru Mandir, MA Jinnah Road and Tower, terminating at Keamari.

The minister said the Sindh government had serious reservations over the ongoing census and was in constant contact with the federal government on that issue.

“The federal government has been informed about our concerns and it has assured that the concerns would be addressed,” he said, adding that the final results of the census would show how far the reservations of the provincial government were removed.

He said the provincial government had fixed the support price of wheat at Rs4,000 per 40kg for the current season. “Two days ago, a fake notification of Rs3,000 per 40kg was circulated on social media. It was found that the social media of the PTI created that notification with the fake signature of the food secretary and made it viral,” he said, adding that a criminal conspiracy was made to mislead people.

He said the purpose of the fake notification was to prevent farmers from giving their wheat to the government and sell the produce to private entrepreneurs so that the wheat crisis in the province would deepen. “Police and the FIA have been instructed to take action against the people involved in this conspiracy,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023