Travelling within Karachi has become a significant problem due to traffic congestion and the absence of government planning to address these issues. Recently, I had to travel from Nursery to Al-Asif Square bus terminal in the evening, a time notorious for heavy traffic across the city. With public transport no longer permitted to enter the city, passengers face the added burden of travelling all the way to Al-Asif Square instead of more convenient locations like Taj Complex, Karachi Cantt, or other public transport terminals within the city.

Upon reaching Al-Asif Square, I observed widespread unrest among passengers and booking agents due to increased fares, despite consecutive reductions in POL prices. Public transport fares, however, have remained unchanged, with no monitoring or enforcement from the relevant authorities in Sindh.

If the authorities can strictly enforce the ban on public transport entering the city, why is there no effort to regulate transport fares? The lack of oversight has allowed transport operators to charge exorbitant fares at their discretion. In contrast, Deputy Commissioner Kashmore, Amir Fazal, held a meeting on 21st September with transporters and regional authorities, ordering assistant commissioners to enforce agreed fares and ensure they are displayed at terminals and on vehicles in Kashmor Kandhkot district. This initiative is commendable, provided it is implemented effectively.

I urge the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to take notice of the inefficiency and inactivity of the concerned authorities, who are failing to protect the public and wasting resources by operating ineffectively. In the current scenario, these departments have become more of a liability.

SALAR LATEEF,

Karachi.