In a relief for thousands of daily commuters, the federal government has reversed the recent 100% hike in metro bus fares across Islamabad, restoring the fare to the previous amount of Rs 50. The rollback came following directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who intervened just days after the fare increase took effect.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had earlier announced a rise in metro fares from Rs 50 to Rs 100, starting June 1. The hike applied to all government-operated bus lines, including the Orange, Green, Blue, and Electric services. The move was widely criticized, particularly ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, with concerns that it would severely impact over 90,000 daily passengers.
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After media reports and public backlash, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with the prime minister to discuss the issue. PM Shehbaz Sharif called the hike “unjustified” and said it would add to the financial burden already facing citizens. He emphasized that such measures before a major festival were insensitive and must be avoided.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s orders, the CDA promptly issued a fresh notification to cancel the fare hike. With this reversal, metro commuters in the capital can now continue to travel at the standard Rs 50 fare, sparing them from additional costs during an already challenging economic period.
