Pakistan Makes Public Transport Free in Islamabad Amid Fuel Price Surge

To ease the burden on citizens, the government has announced free public transport in Islamabad for the next 30 days, with the cost to be covered through state subsidies.

The announcement was made on Friday by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on the social media platform X. He stated that the initiative would take effect from Saturday and that the Interior Ministry would allocate 350 million Pakistani rupees to support the measure. The decision was implemented under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharp Increase in Fuel Prices

The move comes after a steep rise in fuel prices. Pakistan recently raised:

• Petrol prices by about 42.7%, setting it at 458.40 rupees per liter
• Diesel prices by about 54.9%, setting it at 520.35 rupees per liter

The new rates took effect on Friday following an announcement by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik at a press conference.

According to a report by NDTV, the government said the price hike was unavoidable due to abnormal increases in global fuel prices. Officials added that while efforts were made to protect citizens within a limited budget, ongoing global conflicts and uncertainty left no alternative but to adjust prices.

Government Response

Authorities hope that making public transport free in the capital will help reduce financial pressure on residents and prevent social instability during this challenging period.