Pak government employee seeks donkey cart after massive fuel price hike

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 3 : Amid skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel, Pakistanis appear to be looking for alternate modes of transport and a resident of Islamabad has sought to convey a strong message to the Shehbaz Sharif government by wanting to come to work on a donkey cart.
Raja Asif Iqbal, who resides in Islamabad and works at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has sought permission from higher authorities to bring a donkey cart to work expressing his inability to come on motorised personal transport due to petroleum prices reaching record levels.
Iqbal has written a letter to the head of the agency seeking permission for his bizarre request, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Stating that inflation had not just "broken the back of the poor, but also the middle class." Iqbal said he has requested permission to be allowed to bring a donkey cart - an ancient means of transport in the subcontinent - into the office parking lot.
"In this inflation, the organisation has halted the transport facility," he said. "Due to the rising petrol prices, it has become impossible to use personal transport. Please allow me to bring my donkey cart to the airport," Iqbal said.
According to CAA spokesperson Saifullah Khan, every member of the staff is paid a fuel allowance.
"They are provided a pick-and-drop service," Khan said as he contradicted the employee on the pick-and-drop service. According to Khan, the application was "nothing more than a media stunt".
Facing economic challenges, the Shehbaz Sharif government has announced a steep hike in the prices of petroleum products which has come into effect.
Petrol prices have climbed to PKR 209.86 per litre diesel to PKR 204.15 per litre.