RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration on Monday asked the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and market committees to bring down fares of public transport and prices of edibles as soon as possible after the reduction in the petroleum prices.

A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha to pass on the benefit of the reduction in the prices of petroleum products to the citizens. In the meeting, it was decided to take immediate steps to reduce transport fares and the prices of daily-use commodities.

Mr Chatha directed the administration to take steps to provide relief to the people.

“Transport fares will be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the prices of petroleum products. There will also be a reduction in the prices of food items,” he said.

He said the big relief in petroleum products was a good initiative of the government.

“People were worried due to the rising inflation and the reduction in the prices of petroleum products will provide relief to them. Steps are being taken to pass on the benefit of the reduction in prices of petroleum products to the masses,” he said.

On the other hand, traders were not expecting any reduction in the prices of edibles in coming days, saying heavy transport were on diesel and the rate of diesel was reduced only by Rs15 per litre, so there would be no significant difference on the fares of goods transporters.

Saleem Pervaiz, chairman Rawalpindi Merchant Association, said the value of rupee against dollar had increased in the last few weeks but the wholesale dealers did not reduce the prices of pulses and cooking oil. They will not reduce the prices in the coming days significantly unless the government inspected the record of their purchase items from abroad.

He said pulses and cooking oil were imported as these were not produced in the country and the rising value of the dollar had affected the rates of these items. However, he said, the transport charges will reduce in case of reduction in diesel prices as the Rs40 per litre reduce in petrol price provide benefit to cars and motorcycles only.

He said on the instruction of the Punjab caretaker government, the deputy commissioners of many districts had called meetings, but in Rawalpindi no meeting of the market price committee had been convened yet.

On the other hand, RTA Secretary Rashid Ali said all public transport owners had been asked to announce up to 10 per cent reduction in fares from Tuesday.

He said mostly heavy transport, including goods forwarding vehicles, air-conditioned vehicles and non-AC passenger buses, were on diesel and they had been asked to reduce the fare by up to 10pc and display old and new fare lists from Tuesday morning.

He said public transporters have been called to a meeting at the commissioner office on Tuesday (today) to decide how much reduction would be made in the fares.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2023