Lahore Metro Bus Suspension Date Announced

The private operator of Lahore Metro Bus Service on the 27-kilometer Gajjumata-Shahdara route announced on August 11 that it will cease operations due to unresolved disputes with the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMA). The company, citing mounting fuel costs and financial strains, had exhausted its resources and could no longer operate without fuel provided by the authority.

The dispute arose from a July 29 court order directing the PMA to supply fuel, which the company sought to enforce during a meeting on August 6, to no avail. The operator warned that the service would remain suspended until the PMA complied with the court order. A senior company official attributed the financial woes to the significant rise in diesel prices, which outpaced the reimbursement formula set by the company, leaving it to bear the shortfall and borrow funds.

The PMA, however, challenged the court order and has threatened to appoint arbitrators to resolve the conflict, acknowledging it cannot provide fuel without government approval. To maintain service continuity, the PMA has arranged additional buses from outside the existing system in case the private operator suspends operations on the stipulated date.