KARACHI: The Pakistan Mini Mazda Association on Saturday announced a 10 per cent increase in fares following the government’s latest hike in petroleum product prices, a move that is expected to further burden commuters and households already grappling with inflation.
Association President Haji Sher Ali said transporters had refrained from raising fares during the previous diesel price increase, but the latest hike had left them with no choice. “We are forced to increase fares due to the continuous rise in diesel prices,” he stated.
The government on Friday raised petrol prices by Rs 14.92 per litre, setting the new rate at Rs 414.78, while high‑speed diesel was increased by Rs 15 per litre to Rs 414.58.
The announcement comes just hours after the Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance raised its fares by 4 per cent, with its president Malik Shahzad Awan warning that transporters were being pushed towards a nationwide strike. Awan had earlier highlighted that the cost of operating a single trailer round trip had surged by Rs 200,000, with monthly expenses climbing by Rs 800,000, leaving transporters “running vehicles at a loss.”
Observers note that the twin fare hikes — by both goods transporters and passenger carriers — will ripple across the economy, raising the cost of essential commodities and daily travel.
With Eidul Azha approaching later this month, the timing of the increases has sparked concern that festival‑linked demand will collide with higher transport costs, intensifying inflationary pressures on already strained households.
Both associations have condemned the government’s policies, citing inadequate subsidies and lack of relief measures. They warn that unless the federal government reviews its taxation and fuel pricing framework, Pakistan’s transport sector could grind to a halt — a scenario that would paralyze supply chains and deepen public suffering.
