KARACHI - Pasban-e-Pakistan Friday filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking reduction in bus fare as per the government notifications, banning overloading of commuters on rooftops of minibuses and saving the city commuters from other exploiting tactics of the transporter mafia.

Pasban vice president Abdul Hakim Quaid filed the petition against Sindh home secretary, chief secretary, commissioner Karachi, secretary transport, and secretary regional transport authority (RTA) Sindh. Talking to the media men Pasban leader maintained that he himself is a public transport commuters and he has noted that the transporters collect fare of Rs20 for coach, Rs17 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.

In this regard on the direction of the Sindh government a latter was issued to secretary RTA on 2-1-2015 in which bus fare was reduced from 7 to 12 percent. However, the bus runners did not reduce the fare and keeping charging the same old amount, which is illegal.

He said that in Karachi 90pc public transport including buses, minibuses and coaches have already been converted to CNG. These transporters are using the cheap CNG but charging higher fare based on costly diesel use, which is illegal. This is unfair and exploitation of the city commuters. The RTA has sadly failed to take notice of this and implement its notifications in letter and spirit.

He further pointed out that commuters were not given fare tickets after charging bus fare from them which causes altercations on daily basis. Moreover, no distance meters are installed in the rickshaws, taxis and yellow cabs, which is the violation of law.

He said commuters are compelled to travel on the rooftops of coaches and minibuses. Moreover, the fitness condition of public transport buses in very poor in Karachi.

He asked to direct the RTA to strictly ascertain, check and maintain the fitness of the vehicles as described in law. The RTA should also install the distance meters in rickshaws, taxis, yellow cabs, metro cabs.