With inflation and the soaring fuel prices, people around the world are struggling to keep up with their expenses. Many have even been forced to come up with off-beat solutions to deal with their bills. For instance, a man in Pakistan has sought to travel to work in a donkey cart so he does not have to worry about the constant hike in fuel prices.
Believe it or not, an employee of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Pakistan wrote to the authorities seeking permission to bring a donkey cart to work instead of his personal vehicle. The unusual request went viral soon, taking social media by storm and triggering a flurry of jokes online, with some wondering if the man meant it to be a prank.
According to Dawn, Raja Asif Iqbal, who works at the Islamabad International Airport, said in his letter that inflation has not just “broken the backs of the poor, but also the middle class”. The letter went on to seek permission to bring a donkey cart into the CAA parking lot.
“In this inflation, the organisation has halted the transport facility,” he was quoted. “Due to the rising petrol prices, it has become impossible to use personal transport,” the report added.
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PremiumAn employee of the #Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has written to the head of the agency seeking permission to come to work on a donkey cart because he can’t afford any other type of transportation: “Please allow me to bring my donkey cart to the airport.” pic.twitter.com/bL9JocCbbv
— Mehreen Zahra-Malik (@mehreenzahra) June 3, 2022
The letter made national headlines a day after the Pakistan government increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 30 per litre. Finance minister Miftah Ismail termed the decision necessary to pave way for the revival of the IMF programme, according to Express Tribune. As per the new fuel prices, petrol is available at Rs 209.86 per litre, high-speed diesel (HSD) at Rs 204.15, kerosene oil at Rs 181.94 and light diesel oil at Rs 178.31 per litre.
After the missive garnered much attention, CAA spokesperson Saifullah Khan termed it “a media stunt”. Khan told Dawn that every staff member is paid a fuel allowance and pointed out that there are other ways to reach the workplace. “They are provided a pick-and-drop service,” Khan said. “A metro bus service is also available for the employees at the airport.”
However, Iqbal stood his ground and said he wanted to set an “example” by doing so. “I stand by my words a hundred per cent. If the director-general civil aviation doesn’t look into it, I’ll go to the airport on a donkey cart,” Iqbal told Arab News.
He told the news outlet that he has already “started working on buying a donkey cart”, and if he secures it, he will “park it there [at the airport] to set an example that in this modern world, you’ve pushed us a hundred years back.”
