Sindh bars schools from increasing van fares amid fuel price surge

KARACHI: The Sindh government has issued a circular directing public and private schools not to raise student transport charges, as the province moves to shield families from the impact of higher fuel prices.

According to a spokesperson for the PPP-led provincial government, the order was issued on Monday in line with instructions from Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Under the circular, schools have been told to keep existing transport rates unchanged and refrain from increasing van fares for students.

The government has also instructed all public and private schools to fully implement the directive and provide the relevant authorities with complete information about their pick-and-drop services. This includes details of all vans being used for student transportation.

The spokesperson said the provincial government had decided to extend facilities to transport operators. He also warned that any breach of the order could invite strict action.

No increase in public transport fares

The circular came a day after Chief Minister Shah announced that public transport fares would also remain unchanged across Sindh despite the rise in fuel prices.

Speaking at a press conference, the chief minister said he had made it clear that public transport fares should not be increased in the province, after which the transport department held consultations with different stakeholders.

The decision followed a steep jump in petroleum prices. Petrol had risen by Rs137.23 to Rs458.41 per litre, while high-speed diesel went up by Rs184.49 to Rs520.35 per litre. A day later, however, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif cut the petrol price to Rs378 per litre for one month and reduced the petroleum levy by Rs80 per litre.

The increase in fuel prices came amid turmoil in the Gulf region, which has pushed up international oil and energy prices and prompted countries to move toward fuel and energy rationing. Pakistan, described among emerging markets most at risk, has also introduced a broad austerity and fuel conservation plan.

At the press conference, CM Shah said he was satisfied that transporters had agreed to support the government’s position and had decided to charge fares at the same rates as of February 28. He said the government had assured transporters that any financial losses they faced would be compensated.

The chief minister also announced that registered buses would receive Rs100,000 per vehicle from the provincial government, with additional operational expenses to be covered as well.

He said Sindh currently has 470 government-run buses, while about 11,000 buses operate across the province. He added that the measures were intended to provide relief to the public and warned that action would be taken against unregistered transporters if they raised fares. He also urged such operators to get themselves registered so they could qualify for subsidies.