The Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced a five percent increase in goods transport fares following a sharp rise in petroleum prices, citing growing financial pressure on operators across the country. The decision reflects mounting concerns within the transport sector as fuel costs continue to climb without significant relief measures from authorities.
Alliance President Malik Shahzad Awan strongly criticized the increase in fuel prices, stating that transporters nationwide have rejected the move and are struggling to sustain operations under current economic conditions. He emphasized that rising input costs are directly impacting freight rates and supply chain stability.
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According to Awan, transporters are facing severe financial strain, with each trailer trip now costing an additional Rs200,000 due to higher fuel expenses. He explained that most trailers complete around four trips per month, pushing total additional monthly costs to nearly Rs800,000, which has significantly reduced profitability.
Furthermore, he warned that thousands of transporters are parking their vehicles as operating costs exceed earnings, creating a risk of disruption in goods movement across Pakistan. He also noted that the existing government subsidy of Rs80,000 for truck trailers remains insufficient to offset the rising burden of fuel prices.
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In addition, the alliance has urged the federal government to abolish toll taxes, withholding taxes, and motorway and traffic police fines to ease financial pressure on transporters. Awan argued that such measures are essential to stabilize the sector and prevent further economic strain on businesses dependent on logistics services.
Meanwhile, he cautioned that continued policy inaction and rising fuel prices could bring the transport sector to a standstill, especially amid broader economic and regional challenges. He stressed that transporters are currently operating at a loss, which is also contributing to rising inflation due to increased freight costs nationwide.