Rawalpindi Transport Fares Cut by Up to 12% After Fuel Drop

Rawalpindi transport fares have started falling after a sharp reduction in petroleum prices, with local passenger fares cut by 12 percent, intercity fares by 5 percent and freight rates for goods transport by 10 percent.

The reduction follows a fall of Rs39.91 per litre in petrol and Rs31.96 per litre in high-speed diesel over the past ten days.

Rawalpindi transport fares: what has changed

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir issued directives ordering a reduction in transport fares in line with the decrease in petroleum prices.

Regional Transport Authority Secretary Syed Asad Abbas Shirazi also held a meeting with transport operators and directed them to implement the revised fares immediately.

The cuts cover three categories:

• Local passenger transport: down 12 percent
• Intercity transport: down 5 percent
• Freight rates for goods transport: down 10 percent

The district administration has urged citizens to report any instances of overcharging by transport operators by calling helpline 1071.

Why fares are falling now

Fuel prices have dropped for eight days in a row under the government’s daily pricing system. Petrol fell to Rs335 a litre and diesel to Rs364 for November 12, and a further cut to Rs332 and Rs360 was announced for November 13.

Petrol stood at Rs387.40 a litre at the start of October, so the ten-day fall of nearly Rs40 a litre is the largest sustained drop in months, and it is the reason the district administration moved to force fares down rather than wait for operators to act on their own.

The order matters because local fares had stayed flat even as fuel got cheaper. Earlier in November, private carriers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad kept local fares unchanged despite five straight fuel cuts, blaming uncertainty over future prices. The DC’s directive and the RTA meeting are meant to close that gap.

Dealers demand refinery audit

Meanwhile, petroleum dealers have demanded a forensic audit of oil refineries’ profits, claiming that a transparent review could reveal scope for reducing petrol prices by Rs50 per litre.

The demand was raised during an emergency meeting of petroleum dealers in Karachi, where participants discussed refinery profits, petroleum pricing and possible relief for consumers.

Petroleum dealers, including Malik Khuda Bakhsh and Anwar Kamal, called for a transparent forensic audit of the financial affairs of all refineries to establish the actual profits earned.

Malik Khuda Bakhsh said refineries had earned profits equal to a full year’s earnings in just three months, adding that a forensic audit would bring the facts about their profits to light.

What commuters should do

Passengers should pay the revised fares and keep the helpline number, 1071, handy. If a transporter charges above the official rate, the complaint goes to the district administration through that helpline.

The administration has also signalled that the cuts apply across the district, not only on selected routes. The Rawal Dam Chowk to Kashmir Chowk road closure has already disrupted some Islamabad routes this week, so commuters should check their route before travelling. The Kashmir Chowk underpass is due to open soon, which should ease congestion on the same corridor.

Frequently asked questions

How much have Rawalpindi transport fares fallen?

Local passenger fares by 12 percent, intercity fares by 5 percent and freight rates by 10 percent.

Why were fares cut?

Petrol fell by Rs39.91 a litre and diesel by Rs31.96 a litre over ten days. The Deputy Commissioner ordered fares to be revised in line with the lower fuel costs.

Who ordered the fare cut?

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir issued the directive, and RTA Secretary Syed Asad Abbas Shirazi met transport operators and told them to apply the revised fares immediately.

What should I do if a transporter overcharges me?

Report it to the Rawalpindi district administration through helpline 1071.

What are petroleum dealers demanding?

A forensic audit of oil refineries’ profits. Dealers claim an audit could show room to cut petrol by Rs50 a litre, and say refineries earned a full year’s profits in three months.