Karachi motorway police cracks down against high bus fares

KARACHI: Motorway police cracked down on transporters that have spiked fares in light of the Eid-ul-Fitr rush when residents of the port city head to their hometowns to spend the holiday.

In an operation at the toll plaza on Wednesday, motorway officials took action against 30 buses and 20 vans, giving back the extra fare charged by the transporters back to the commuters.

Bus drivers found overcharging customers against the established transport rates were fined between Rs1,000 to Rs5,000 by the police.

Meanwhile in Islamabad, the motorway police have formed 12 squads to deal with overpricing by transporters ahead of Eid, said officials.

Every year before Eid, transporters begin charging more than usual as demand for travelling increases since most people travel to their native towns and villages to spend the festival with loved ones.

Every year, similar crackdowns are held across the country but transporters continue to charge exorbitant rates.