QUETTA: In Balochistan, citizens are being exploited under the guise of parking fees. Contractors at government hospitals, public offices, and service centers are charging excessive and arbitrary amounts for parking.
According to residents from various areas, people visiting hospitals, NADRA offices, passport offices, driving license centers, and excise departments are being forced to pay between 40 to 50 rupees for parking — the highest rate in the country.
Visitors, who often come to these places due to unavoidable needs, say they are compelled to park their vehicles in designated areas due to the fear of theft by criminal elements.
However, they end up being overcharged in the name of parking fees. If anyone protests, the contractors either misbehave or justify the high fees by citing inflation.
Some people have even reported that many avoid official parking areas due to high fees and park in insecure locations instead, which has led to a rise in vehicle theft incidents.
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Citizens have appealed to higher authorities to intervene and issue official orders capping parking fees at 10 to 20 rupees province-wide.
