Transporters on Tuesday showed their concerns over the rising fuel prices in the country, fearing the anti-transport policies of the government may deprive the metropolis of its largest public transportation. Talking to Business Recorder, President, Karachi Transport Ittehad, Syed Irshad Hussain Shah Bukhari, expressed apprehension over the surging petroleum prices, saying that the local transportation is on the verge of closure due to the soaring cost.
"In the last four years of the government, the prices of lubricants, spare parts of vehicle, diesel, and petroleum products have gone up by 300 per cent," he said. He blamed the Sindh Transport Minister, Akhtar Hussain Jadoon for introducing an "illegal" Quinqi (auto-rickshaw) service in the city, which badly damaged the local transport system. He alleged the minister for patronising the new auto-rickshaw service along with other influential personalities.
If the situation continued unchanged, a large number of buses, mini-buses and coaches would be disappeared from the city roads, he feared, saying the traffic police also involved in protecting the Quinqi service. He said in April 2011, the prices of diesel went up to Rs 114 per litre from Rs 93, CNG surged to Rs 90.70 per kg from Rs 56. He also criticised the transport minister for not meeting with the transporters to listen their problems.