SIALKOT, March 1: Following another increase in POL prices, transporters on Tuesday raised fares up to 25 per cent and were found overcharging on various routes.

Reports said the transporters were charging Rs80 instead of Rs60 per passenger from Sialkot to Lahore, Rs50 instead of Rs35 to Rs40 from Daska to Sialkot, Rs30 from Sialkot to Gujranwala instead of Rs24, Rs15 from Daska to Gujranwala, Sialkot to Sambrial, Daska to Sambrial and from Sialkot to Pasrur instead of Rs10 to Rs12.

Meanwhile, Citizens Rights Forum chief Dr. Muneer Butt and others have strongly protested against overcharging by the transporters. Some incidents of misbehaviour with female passengers by drivers and conductors were also reported from Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur and surrounding areas on their refusal to pay high fares.

When contacted, some transporters said they had raised the fares by 25 per cent after the recent raise in petroleum prices. On the other hand, the Regional Transport Authority officials said the transporters had raised fares illegally as the provincial and district governments had not approved any raise.