CM Maryam orders crackdown on transport mafia overcharging Eid passengers
Pakistan
Passengers from Lahore and across the country are struggling at bus terminals due to excessive fares
LAHORE (Dunya News) - As Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, the transport mafia is once again overcharging passengers, causing distress among those traveling to their hometowns.
Passengers from Lahore and across the country are struggling at bus terminals due to excessive fares, with reports of transporters issuing over 20 tickets per seat, leading to chaos and frustration.
Many travelers have complained about waiting for hours despite purchasing tickets, only to be denied traveling unless they pay additional charges. Overcrowding and a shortage of vehicles have particularly affected women and children, while transporters are also charging extra fees for luggage.
Transporters, however, have denied the overcharging allegations, arguing that a surge in passengers created a transport shortage.
They claimed that buses return empty when coming back towards major cities like Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as there is very less demand of tickets towards bigger cities, making it necessary to slightly increase fares—by around 20%—to cover operational costs.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered a crackdown on transporters charging excessive fares. She has instructed authorities to enforce strict legal action and ensure that fare lists were prominently displayed at bus terminals for public awareness.
