KHAIRPUR: The transporters have increased the fares across the country ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr that has acutely affected the passengers. Karachi Coach Service has been charging Rs 1100 to 1500 against the previous fare of Rs 700 while travelling from Sukkur to Karachi. The transporters including Karachi Coach Service (KCS), Farhan Coach Service, Faisal Movers, Ahbab, Data, Almadina, Blue lines, and others have doubled the fares for the passengers travelling from Karachi to Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, Swat, Mingora, Sukkur, Hyderabad and other cities of Pakistan. Farhan Mahar, a passenger, expressed annoyance over poor services of transport authorities and claimed that he had purchased two tickets from KCS costing Rs 1500 each for travelling to Karachi from Khairpur. He further alleged that higher authorities had been taking bribes from the transporters on monthly basis, and so would not take any action against them. A sudden rise in the transport fares has adversely affected the poverty-stricken people who travel to their hometowns to celebrate Eid days. Meanwhile, the passengers have demanded the government to take a stern action against transporters, and recover the ‘looted’ amount of money from them. Published in Daily Times, June 14th 2018.