Transport, freight fares skyrocket by 65 per cent in Pakistan

A significant rise in fuel prices has led to an extraordinary increase in both passenger and freight transport fares in Pakistan, with hikes between 20 to 65 percent, according to Dawn. This dramatic rise follows a month of fluctuating fuel prices and transport costs that were modified twice. Khan Zaman Afridi, the provincial head of the Public Transport Owners Association in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mentioned that the ongoing and "unprecedented rise in fuel prices has greatly impacted both transport providers and passengers." He pointed out that fares went up by 20 percent in early March, and the latest increase in April 2026, which raised petrol prices by PKR 137.24 per litre and diesel by PKR 184.49 per litre, is "just unbearable for us." After a joint meeting in Peshawar, transport groups approved an additional 25 percent increase for routes between districts and provinces, while Dawn reported that passenger fares in Punjab have already jumped by as much as 65 percent. Alongside passenger transport, the Pakistan Goods Transporters Owners Association has also declared a 65 percent rise in freight rates. Transport operators have voiced their dissatisfaction, stating that the federal government made these changes without consulting the stakeholders, which often leads to conflicts with the public. The political response has been swift, with Aimal Wali Khan, president of the Awami National Party, calling the price increase a "shameful and anti-people" action. As reported by Dawn, he argued that the current prices do not accurately reflect the international market but are influenced by "taxes, levies, and government economic policies."