The leaders of the Karachi Transport Action Committee (KTAC) and Anjuman-i-Ittehad Bus Malikaan have urged the government to restore subsidy on petroleum products and to defreeze the commission of oil companies.

In a joint statement, they expressed their concern over the huge commission and taxes on oil. They said that the government had increased the prices of petroleum products by 60 per cent within a short span of time in the name of increase in its prices at the international level. They said despite the fact that the prices of fuel had decreased to $126 per barrel in the international market, the government was still not providing subsidy on it.

The transport leaders said that hike in fuel prices had proved to be beneficial for the petrol pump owners while the transporters and the masses were left to suffer.

They expressed their concern over the attitude of the petrol pump owners and said that they had become aware that the government was increasing fuel prices after every 15 days as a result these dealers stopped providing petrol to the transporters three days prior to the official notification and minted money.

The transporters alleged that the dealers were also smuggling petroleum and diesel and were responsible for creating fuel shortage.—APP/PPI