Karachi commuters have called on the government to ensure that private transport operators and ride-hailing services reduce fares following a cumulative decline of around Rs100 per liter in petrol and diesel prices in recent weeks.
Passengers say transport operators increased fares by nearly 40 percent when fuel prices surged during regional tensions earlier this year, arguing that rising operating costs made the previous fare structure unsustainable.
However, they believe the justification for higher fares no longer exists after successive reductions brought petrol and diesel prices down to around Rs300 per liter.
According to commuters, private buses and coaches had increased minimum fares by Rs10 to Rs20 and maximum fares by Rs30 to Rs50 when fuel prices approached Rs400 per liter.
Ride-hailing services also reportedly raised fares by around Rs100 for short motorcycle trips, Rs200 for longer bike rides, and between Rs200 and Rs500 for car rides.
Passengers argue that if transport operators acted quickly to increase fares when fuel prices climbed, they should respond with the same urgency now that fuel costs have fallen significantly.
They have described the continued collection of higher fares as unfair and urged the authorities to intervene so that the benefits of lower fuel prices are passed on to the public.
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