The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday once again sought comments from chief secretary, transport secretary, commissioner Karachi and others on a petition seeking reduction in bus fares as per government notifications. The SHC bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, was hearing the petition filed by Pasban-e-Pakistan, requesting the court to direct the government to implement its announced bus fare, ban overloading of commuters on rooftops of minibuses and save the city commuters from other exploiting tactics of the transporters' mafia.
The Sindh government was directed to file its reply to the petitioner's stance but it failed to do so. The provincial law officer requested the court to allow him a time to file the comment. While accepting the court adjourned the hearing directing him to file the comments by the next hearing.
Earlier, Pasban vice president Abdul Hakim Quaid submitted in the petition that he himself is a public transport commuters and he had noted that the transporters collect fare of Rs 20 for coach, Rs 17 for minibus and Rs 16 for local buses. He said the federal government from 2105 to 2016 has reduced fuel prices time and again and the federal and provincial governments have also revised bus fares, accordingly.
The petitioner maintained that in Karachi, 90 percent public transport including buses, minibuses and coaches had already been converted to CNG. The transporters are using the cheap CNG but charging higher fare based on costly diesel use, which is illegal.
The commuters are not given fare tickets after charging bus fare from them which causes altercations on daily basis. No distance meters are installed in the rickshaws, taxis and yellow cabs, which is the violation of law. The commuters are compelled to travel on the rooftops of coaches and minibuses. The fitness condition of public transport buses in very poor in Karachi, the PASBAN vice president added.
Citing Sindh home secretary, chief secretary, commissioner Karachi, secretary transport, and secretary regional transport authority (RTA) Sindh as the respondents, the petitioner prayed to the court to direct the respondents to strictly implement the notifications for reduction of fares issued by the government of Sindh time to time. The court was further requested to direct the RTA to strictly ascertain, check and maintain the fitness of the vehicles as described in law.