Karachi (PPI) - Pasban leaders strongly condemning the official notification of rise in fares of public transport, announced Saturday they would launch a protest drive against the 'cruel decision'. Pasban Pakistan General Secretary Usman Muazzam, Pasban Karachi President Syed Ashraf Hussain and the Director Public Relations Issues Committee Abu Bakr Usman addressing a protest demonstration against the hike in bus fares outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, said Provincial Transport Secretary was briefed in a meeting that Karachi transporters were charging Rs9 to Rs14 per passenger per trip, and about 300 commuters travel in every bus trip, while just 10 liters of fuel was required for that trip costing only Rs650. Transporters' cost per commuter per trip is only Rs2.20, if they purchase diesel at Rs64.73 per liter, they said, adding what they called a 'transporters mafia' was looting hapless Karachi commuters, as the government had turned the blind eye towards this exploitation. They said issuing notification of rise in fare by the Sindh government without getting approval by the Sindh Assembly was the violation of law. They claimed that Sindh Transport Secretary had agreed with Pasban in a meeting on July 12 that there was not reason for allowing rise in bus fare. "Transporters could not claim rise in operational expenses, as they use cheap Chinese spare parts, or old, second and third hand spare parts bought from the junk marker of Sher Shah Karachi and tyres repaired and re-used, locally," the Pasban leaders maintained. They said, "Sindh Transport Minister and Secretary Transport have also exceeded the limits of Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 by issuing such controversial notification". The Pasban leaders demanded that transporters be forced to charge half fare from commuters under age of 13 years. They should be made bound to wear uniform and their drivers should display RTA identity cards. They also demanded strict implementation of Section 193 of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965. They urged implementation of amended notification SLEG 15 in connection with fines on violation of traffic rules. They demanded of the government to withdraw the rise in bus fares in the larger interest of commuters and society.