KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Friday clamoured over the soaring inflation with higher transport fares, despite petroleum prices have declined, asking the government as to what role it has played to reduce the ticket price.

Rana Ansar, the MQM’s parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly drew the government’s attention towards the higher transport fares and soaring inflation.

She said that the petroleum prices have fallen but the commuters are still asked to pay higher charges on the public transport. She questioned the government that what steps it has taken bring down transport charges.

Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, who also holds Transport and Mass Transit portfolio, replied that his department has dispatched letters to all transport associations for the fare reduction.

Regarding the People’s Bus Service, which the Sindh government runs on the megacity’s roads, he said that the cabinet has decided not to increase fares from Rs50 per passenger no matter if fuel prices surge. He said that the Sindh government will bear the losses on fuel adjustment as a subsidy to the commuters. “When petrol was available for Rs150 a litre, the fare was Rs50,” and the service still charges the same fare. MMA’s Syed Abdul Rasheed asked the government about it policy on copy culture during the metric exams and leaking of questions papers.

In response, Muhammad Ismail Rahu, the Sindh Minister Universities and Boards said that action has been taken to end the practice of cheating in the board exams. However, he denied that any pre-exams question papers are leaked to the students. Investigations found no such attempts of paper leakages, he said, and announced that a case will be filed against the exams controller if a student is caught cheating.

Qasim Fakhri of the TLP complained about gas load shedding and spewing sewerage water from the underground lines. He also demanded of the government to turn down a new contract to the K-Electric.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023