Petrol Price Hike Raises Daily Commuting Costs for Karachi Residents by Up to 20%

Karachi: A sharp increase in petrol prices has significantly raised daily commuting expenses for residents of Karachi, with many citizens reporting a 15–20% rise in fuel costs and higher fares for online transport services.

Following a Rs55 per liter increase in petroleum prices, drivers providing ride-hailing and bike services have increased fares by 5–10%. Motorcycle users say their daily fuel expenses have also climbed by up to 20%, putting additional strain on household budgets.

Many residents complain that while fuel prices have surged, salaries have remained unchanged. Some commuters are now shifting from ride-hailing services to public transport to manage their expenses.

Rehan Naeem, a motorcycle ride service provider living in Mahmoodabad, said he turned to online bike services after leaving a factory job that paid Rs22,000 per month, which was insufficient to support his family. He explained that after the petrol price hike, fares have increased by Rs50 for short trips, Rs80 for medium distances, and up to Rs120 for longer rides. According to him, higher fares have pushed many passengers toward public transport.

Another bike service provider, Umair Khan, who works as a salesman during the day and offers bike rides part-time, said fuel expenses have forced drivers to raise fares by Rs70 to Rs150. He added that the number of passengers has dropped by around 10–20% due to the higher costs.

Online taxi driver Talha Farooqi noted that fares have increased by around 10%, with short-distance trips costing about Rs100 more and longer rides increasing by over Rs250. He said daily earnings have dropped from around Rs1,500 to between Rs1,000 and Rs1,200 due to fewer passengers and rising fuel costs.

Office worker Waqas Abbasi, who travels daily from Karimabad to his workplace at Tower, said his two-way commuting cost has risen from Rs600 to around Rs800–900, forcing him to switch to public transport.

Similarly, Nimra Khan, a government employee from Sharifabad who commutes by motorcycle, said her daily fuel expenses have increased by about Rs100, bringing her total daily fuel cost to around Rs650.

Citizens say the surge in petrol prices has also increased their monthly household expenses. Some workers estimate their monthly fuel spending has risen by around Rs3,000, calling on the government to either reduce fuel prices or increase salaries to ease the financial burden.