KARACHI: As the fare of the Peoples Bus Service (PBS) is set to increase from Saturday (today), Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon on Friday informed the provincial assembly that it is being done to buy more buses for the benefit of the people.

The minimum fare of the PBS will increase from Rs50 to Rs80 while Rs120 would be charged from a passenger intending to travel beyond 15 kilometres.

Responding to a call attention notice by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P’s) Dr Fauzia Hameed regarding the increase in bus fares, he said that the earlier the fare of the PBS for one to 15 kilometres was only Rs50.

Mr Memon said that the government had been providing a subsidy of Rs40 to Rs50 to each passenger so far, but the petrol prices had now gone up.

He said that the government was currently giving a daily subsidy of Rs5 million, adding that the chief minister had directed that the burden of increase in petrol price should not be shifted on the people.

The minister said that one of the suggestions was to completely abolish the subsidy, but the CM and provincial cabinet did not abolish the subsidy completely. “We are buying more buses by increasing the fare a little so that the people can benefit,” he added.

Mr Memon said that the first EV bus service was started by the provincial government and now more such buses were being purchased.

He said that there was a plan to provide free scooties to women in the province.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025