ATTOCK, July 5 Transporters here have increased fares without any official announcement on the pretext of recent rise in the petroleum prices.

While 80 per cent of the transport vehicles including wagons and coaches are run on compressed natural gas (CNG), the price of which has not been hiked, commuters complained that the transporters had increased the fares without governments notification. They have started charging an extra of Rs5 to Rs10 per passenger on every route.

When the transporters and drivers were asked to show the official fare list or explain the reason for the increase, they just argued that it was the result of the recent increase in the petroleum prices.

If a passenger dares to protest the one-sided and illegal increase of fares, the transporters misbehave with them and even drag them out of the vehicle. As a result, scuffles and exchange of hot words between the transporters and commuters have been reported for the last two days.

People have asked the government to withdraw the increase in the petroleum prices as it ultimately put financial burdens on the public. They also asked the government to take note of the unofficial fare escalation by the transporters.

On the other hand, the local transporters also protested against the government decision to increase POL prices. They said the government should also announce an increase in public transport fares otherwise the transporters would have no option but to launch a protest campaign.

TAXILA Some transporters have also arbitrarily increased fares in Taxila, Wah Cantt and Hassanabdal. “Transport operators did not wait for government's notification and have started charging Rs2 to Rs3 extra from the commuters,” a commuter said. The stop-to-stop fare has been increased from Rs10 to Rs14, causing clashes between commuters and the transporters.

The residents have criticised the increase in prices of petroleum products and termed it a severe blow to the masses already burdened with rising price hike.

People belonging to all walks of life, while talking to this correspondent, said the hike in POL prices ranging from Rs5.92 to Rs6.94 per litre would bring another wave of inflation hitting hard the common man who was already leading a miserable life.

In the presence of long hours' loadshedding and closure of the national industry, this hike would not only have an adverse effect on the countrys exports but would also jack up prices of daily-use commodities, they added.