LAHORE: The Pakistan Railway increased train fare by 10-19 percent, said a notification issued on Tuesday.



The fare increase will be applicable from December 7.

Under the new fare schedule, there will be an increase of as many as Rs 540 of Green line train from Karachi to Islamabad. The new fare price will now stand at Rs5,880 per person.

There has been increase of 12 percent on the fare of Karachi Express, Business Express, Shalimar and Shah Hussain Express; while 13 percent on Khyber Mail, Awam Express and Allama Iqbal Express.

Pakistan Express' fare has increased by a 19 percent while 15 percent increased would be taken into account on all classes of Sukkur express, said the notification.

Rafique calls fare increase, 'unnecessary and regrettable'

Former Railway Minister and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Saad Rafique rejected the fare price increase and called it an 'unnecessary and regrettable' move from the government.

He said that during the PML-N government the train fare were decreased 28 times despite fluctuation in global oil prices, adding that the Pakistan Railway has hit monetary crisis due to ill-planned policies by the incumbent government.

Earlier, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid announced an increase in rail fares owing to the depreciation of Pakistani rupee against US dollar.

“The value of dollar against the rupee has increased owing to which rail fares will have to be revised upward,” the railway minister said.