ISLAMABAD: In a welcome relief for tens of thousands of commuters, the federal government has withdrawn the recent 100% increase in metro bus fares in Islamabad, restoring the fare to Rs 50.
The decision comes just days after the fare hike, introduced by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), came into effect on June 1. The rollback was ordered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who termed the fare increase “unjustified,” particularly in the lead-up to Eid-ul-Adha. He noted that citizens are already facing high inflation and that such a move would “spoil the joys of Eid for the people.”
The fare hike had raised prices from Rs 50 to Rs 100 for all government-run metro bus services in the capital, including the Orange, Green, Blue, and Electric bus lines. The decision sparked immediate backlash from the public and media, as the increased costs would have impacted more than 90,000 daily passengers.
Although initial reports of the proposed hike surfaced on May 24, prompting early criticism, the CDA proceeded to issue a formal notification on June 1. This renewed public outrage led to an emergency meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the Prime Minister.
Responding swiftly to the growing pressure, the Prime Minister directed the CDA to cancel the increase. The authority has since issued a fresh notification, officially reversing the fare to Rs 50.
The move has been widely welcomed by commuters, who had expressed concern about the financial strain during an already challenging economic period.
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