Peshawar, May 10, 2026 — A sharp rise in petroleum prices has deepened economic distress in Peshawar and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting dozens of transport operators to stage a protest at the Hajji Camp Terminal over soaring fares and rising flour costs ahead of Eid, media reports say.
Protesters, who held up banners and chanted slogans against the government, demanded immediate relief, blaming repeated fuel price increases for crippling public transport and squeezing low-income households. Transport leader Zubair Ahmed Qureshi warned that inflation and unemployment have left many families unable to meet basic needs; he criticised the twin problems of CNG shortages and rising petrol and diesel costs.
Transport fares have been adjusted for the fifth time in a month after the latest round of fuel hikes. Non-AC bus fares rose by about five percent, while air-conditioned services saw sharper increases. Local routes linking Peshawar with Nowshera, Mardan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swat and Malakand reported fare jumps ranging roughly Rs50 to Rs500. Long-distance travellers to Rawalpindi and Lahore are reportedly paying up to Rs3,000 more on some services.
The fuel-driven inflation is also pushing up flour prices. The price of an 80-kilogram bag of flour has climbed by nearly Rs1,000 in recent weeks, with premium varieties reaching around Rs11,000. Smaller flour packages have become noticeably costlier, and consumers say local bakeries are reducing roti sizes while charging higher rates.
Residents and transport operators accused government policies, restrictions on flour movement from Punjab and unchecked inflation for exacerbating the crisis, warning that the poorest citizens are being pushed toward economic collapse as Eid approaches, according to reports by ANI and The Express Tribune.
(This article is based on syndicated reporting and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.)
