I RECENTLY experienced a distressing situation after booking a bus ticket through a mobile application. Despite a successful transaction, the ticket was not recognised by the bus operator. Not only was I left stranded at the bus terminal, the app management also had the audacity to refused a refund. I was forced to pay the fare again to secure a seat on the same scheduled bus. Later, I discovered that this is a recurring modus operandi of the said application, with numerous users reporting similar fake bookings and refused refunds.

While we celebrate the digital shift, the lack of oversight allows such platforms to loot citizens with impunity. Digital convenience should not come at the cost of consumer security. Authorities must enforce strict regulations on these apps to ensure accountability, and protect the public from being defrauded further.

Shoaib Khalid
Sukkur

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026