LAHORE - Around 331,000 passengers travelling by metro buses in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan everyday will have to pay more in terms of fares as the PTI government has decided to end subsidy being given to them to rationalise fares.
This was announced by the provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht on Thursday.
“Government is providing Rs12 billion annually on Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi metro bus projects. Lahore Metro Bus Service from now onwards, being run from Shahdara to Gajjumata, would be charged on stop-to-stop basis,” Bakht said. The minister also claimed these rationalisation cuts in fares would not burden the masses.
However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has rejected the decision saying it will add to financial woes of the poor who are availing affordable and comfortable travelling fares through Metro Bus Service.
The PNL-N said that governments all over the world take steps to facilitate the poor and the decision of the PTI govt to abolish the subsidy was contrary to the universal norms. The party said a country can gain economic well being only be giving facilities to the common man which in turn increases their efficiency and productivity.
With 27 kilometer-long route, Lahore Metro Bus Service was launched at the cost of Rs30 billion. It has been causing approximately Rs5 million daily loss to the government in the form of subsidy as a uniform fare of Rs20 per passenger was fixed for the entire rout. The service was inaugurated on 11 February, 2013 and stretched from Gajjumata to Shahadra. The service was inaugurated by then Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif along with then Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozda.
Multan Metro Bus Service with 18.5 kilometre-long route has 21 satiations and according to new policy, fare among stations is also likely to get a hike.
Right now, fare between two stations is Rs20 in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan Metro Bus Services which is being rationalised according to the distance. Now the increased fare may range between Rs40-60 after government will withdraw the subsidy. The tickets are being given to travelers from a self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVM).
The decision will not likely to affect metro bus cards currently being utilised for multiple journeys and can be collected free of cost and can be recharged to a maximum balance of Rs1000.
Former spokesman of PML-N Malik Ahmed Ali condemned the decision to withdraw subsidy on metro bus and saying it was against the welfare of the masses.
He said it was pity that decision, taken by PML-N’s Punjab government for benefit of the poor, was being reversed, which showed anti-poor policies of the PTI government in Punjab.
A daily commuter of Lahore Metro Bus Service, Maha Tabbasum, 26, a resident of Johar Town also condemned the decision and asked the competent authorities to roll back the decision of ending the subsidy.
NAB TO PROBE METRO BUS,
ORANGE LINE TRAIN
APP adds: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Barrister Shehzad Akbar on Thursday said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would investigate embezzlement of funds in metro bus, Orange Line and other projects launched by the last government.
Talking to a private news channel, he said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was given the mandate by the people to carry forward the process of accountability and it was already taking the steps to achieve that goal.
To a question, he said FIA, NAB, and anti-corruption agencies were looking into the matters of irregularities or corruption in mega projects like metro bus and Orange Line train.
To another question, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan had been apprised about the issues pertaining to the K-Electric and Abraaj Group and investigation agencies had been asked to look into the same.
