Punjab Government’s Provincial Transport Authority has declared Careem, Uber and other ride-hailing services as illegal.
A notification in this regard has been already sent to Lahore’s chief Traffic Officer so that these services are not allowed on Lahore’s roads.
However, it is still unclear if this ban is valid for Lahore only, or that other cities in Punjab are also part of this order.
Update: Punjab Govt Clarifies that Careem, Uber Are Not Banned!
The notification, a copy of which is attached below, said that Careem, Uber and A-One Taxi are running transport services without getting the prerequisite fitness certificate and route permits, which is causing huge losses to Punjab government.
The notification says that since private cars are being used for transportation, and they must not be used for commercial purposes, such services are not only violating local laws but also pose as a security threat for the public.
According to the notification, field traffic officers have been directed to ensure that prompt action is taken against these illegal services and that they are not allowed to operate in the city.
We tried to contact Uber and Careem for their comment, and are still awaiting their response to this development.