Vigilance not taking action against fares overcharging

Contrary to the directives issued by Sindh Minister for Labour, Transport, Industries and Commerce, Adil Siddiqui, to end overcharging at inter-city buses terminuses, the vigilance team and concerned department did not take stern action against transporters.
In accordance with the minister's order, vigilance team has been formed with supervision by Wajid Ali, DIG Traffic, and Javed Hanif, DCO, and both would work together to eradicate fares overcharging business, which has skyrocketed across all inter-city bus terminuses on Eid-ul-Fitr occasion.
The officials, who have been assigned to work for eliminating this menace have been granted the power of magistrate and empowered them to cancel route permit, besides impounding the vehicle as per Section 62 under Vehicle Ordinance 1965, sources at department told Business Recorder here on Tuesday.
When contacted, DIG Traffic, Wajid Ali Durrani, denied that the minister had issued directives to check overcharging business at terminuses in collaboration with Javed Hanif, DCO, Karachi. He further said that action against inter-city transporters would be taken by magistrates and City District Government Karachi (CDGK).
Despite announcement by minister, official directives had not been sent to concerned department yet, which is creating hurdles in effective strategy besides taking stern action against inter-city bus transporters.
"If the minister has made vigilance team in this regard then written orders will be dispatched shortly, after which action will be taken," he said.
When Business Recorder tried to contact the concerned offices numbers, which had been published almost in every newspaper on Tuesday by Secretary Transport, which were of DIG Traffic, head office, Executive District Office, Secretary, Provincial Transport Authority, Secretary, Regional Transport Authority and District Officer, CDGK, only Regional Transport Authority's number could be contacted, but official at the department did not satisfy how to facilitate inter-city bus passengers on Eid.
Whereas all other numbers have not been entertained and DIG Traffic Head office had published two numbers, both of them were invalid numbers, Business Recorder learned.
It may be pointed that minister had issued a list of fare rates from Karachi to interior destinations across country. The rates have been fixed as per cities are as follow: From Karachi for Hyderabad Rs 120, Mirpurkhas Rs 160, Nawabshah Rs 180, Sukkur Rs 250, Larkana Rs 250, Shikarpur Rs 250, Jacobabad Rs 280, Dera Murad Jamali Rs 400, Usta Muhammad Rs 400, Sadiqabad Rs 400, Dera Ghazi Khan Rs 450, Alipur Rs 450, Lahore Rs 850, Rawalpindi Rs 900, Mansehra Rs 900, Muzaffarabad Rs 950, and Peshawar Rs 900.