Punjab CM orders immediate resumption of Uber, Careem services
Both the companies have been directed to meet the legal requirements within 15 days
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Chief Minister CM) of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif has ordered immediate resumption of mobile phone-based online taxi services, Careem and Uber while directing the companies to comply with the rules within 15 days.
The development has come in after Provincial Transport Authority notified both the foreign companies in the evening today that their fleets of cars were registered as private vehicles while being used on commercial basis which was against the law.
Know the details: Punjab Transport Department declares Uber, Careem illegal
The notification cited violation of Section 2 (5), (20), Section 39 and Section 44 of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965.
It was reported that the companies did not seek fitness certificates and route permits among documentation required from the government to launch taxis in Pakistan, mainly in metropolis.
Careem has its operations in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad while Uber has expanded its operations to other cities as well.
Chairman of Punjab Information and Technology (IT) Board, Umar Saif responded to the issue by saying that the notification was supposed to be an in-house memo which went public prematurely.
However, he expressed his agreement to let such companies operate in Pakistan as they expand job opportunities and help the economy. He said that the government doesn’t want to register the companies as private taxi services but tax them.
Saif said that a taxation policy would be put in place for the companies like those followed in Malaysia, Egypt and Indonesia.
