BAHRAIN: During the past few months, the petroleum prices saw a sharp reduction. However, its impact is yet to be trickled down to the grassroots level.
Despite the lapse of several months into the slash of the petroleum prices, the people in the upper areas of Swat are still deprived of the benefits of the reduction. The hard-pressed people are still buying the daily use commodities on higher rates.
Whereas, the drivers have instead of decreasing increased the fares. They are receiving Rs: 60 as a fare from Kalam to Matiltan with Rs: 10 rupees increase for a distance of six kilometers only. That has irked the masses by making their lives more miserable instead of relief to them.
The helpless people have no option other than to pay the fares. Because they had nowhere to complain the harsh treatment meted out to them. As the concerned authorities resort to lip service to console the public and let the routine going on unchanged.
In this regard, the elders of the area including Maulana Bakht Rawan, Malik Bilal, Malik Zakirullah, Muhammad Shafi and others several times complained the Assistant Commissioner Behrain and other high-up but to no avail.
They have, therefore, demanded the Deputy Commissioner Swat to take notice of the injustice with the poor people of the area and reduce the fares and pass on the benefits of the reduction in petroleum prices to the common people.
Nevertheless, it still stands to justify the reduction in the transport fares. The drop per liter should lead to reduction in the cost of transporting, agricultural and industrial produce etc. All the people should have their share out of the profit of the decline.
It should have immediate impact on the cost of transportation and manufacturing companies at the existing rates, which substantial part of input is petrol to depend on the same for major portion of their profit.
So far the governments have failed to alert the concerned authorities to perform their duties and monitor the market prices and to provide the full benefits of the oil price slash to the toiling people, who have to borne the burden of misrule for decades. DNA
