LAHORE: Chairman Punjab IT Board Umar Saif on Tuesday clarified that no notification has been issued to ban ride-hailing services Uber and Careem in Punjab, ARY News reported
According to ARY News reporter Ulfat Mughal , Saif told media that Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to devise policy to regulate the ride-hailing services but no notification has been issued to ban the service.
“Since this is a new kind of business in Pakistan, so it is necessary to devise new policies for this,” said Saif
“A letter from one department to another was publicized as notification,” said Saif.
‘Alive and kicking’
Talking to ARY News, Managing Director Careem Junaid Iqbal said: “I would like to clarify that our service is very much available and anyone can book a ride. It is not banned.”
Elucidating about the new kind of business in Pakistan, he said sharing economy is a new concept and about 100 countries are still making laws regarding sharing economy.
“Right now, laws in the country only support a traditional taxi firm or a rent-a-car company, Careem is just a platform, if tomorrow we start providing you doctors, will you start treating us as a hospital,” asked the Careem MD.
Junaid Iqbal also denied receiving any notification regarding banning of the ride-hailing firm’s services.
HOW TWITTERATI REACTED OVER ‘BAN’ NEWS
This bus cleared the safety check and is legal ,
But we bans #Careem and #Uber coz its illegal.
Courtesy: Civilian of Karachi pic.twitter.com/A04PCT8TgQ— Bilal Akbar Laghari (@laghari_bilal) January 31, 2017
Meet the one country in the world where #Careem and #Uber have been banned by the government for providing its people decent transportation.
— Arslan Asif (@ArslanAsif) January 31, 2017
Banning #uber & #careem shows that this country is run by an uneducated lot. they don’t want people to travel in safe & clean environment.
— Babur (@babarjamil) January 31, 2017
Uber and Careem banned in Punjab for being ‘illegal’.
“However gutka, tobacco and donkey meat is widely available ‘legally’.”#Careem— Chai_Coffee☕️ (@AyeshaA_Umair) January 31, 2017
Shahbaz Sharif playing Trump & banning the best thing that has happened to #Lahore in a long time i.e #Careem STOP this ridiculousness
— Nida Z. (@NedaXafar) January 31, 2017
Wish we, the people, could BAN #Sindh and #Punjab Gormints instead of #Careem and #Uber . Sick of these corrupt & incompetent rulers.
— Danish Mughal (@danishmandd) January 31, 2017
#Careem banned ? Why can’t #PMLN let anything good sustain in this country. 😉#StillMetroWontBeAnAlternative #NeitherOrangeLines 😂
— Rubab Abbas Zaidi (@Rubabaz) January 31, 2017
Bans: Punjab government felt left out and decided to ban #Uber and #Careem.
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) January 31, 2017
#Careem should invest some of their marketing budget in buying steel from #Nawazsharifgovt. may be thats how they wud lift the ban
— Wajih Nasim (@wajih_88) January 31, 2017
People were about to get use to this facility and punjab thugs have banned them. Your days are numbered Sharif’s. #Careem
— Belal Abbassi (@yesitsmeBELAL) January 31, 2017
Ironic how ministers that get to roam in 4WD/power-packed v6’s ban whatever that brings comfort to a layman! #uber #Careem
— Lady_A (@SenoraDelGato) January 31, 2017
Punjab govt declares #Uber, #Careem services ‘illegal’. Crackdown started in #Karachi also pic.twitter.com/n9zyKtXFCR
— Raza Mehdi (@SyedRezaMehdi) January 31, 2017
Ban on #Uber and #Careem in #Punjab is a shame. Punjab Govt if you want to be in the scene, improve yourself, don’t ban the competition.
— Jibran T. Siddiqui (@jibransiddiqui) January 31, 2017
#Careem
Ye bik gie hy gorment pic.twitter.com/X7tmoYeojn— Saadia baig (@iamsaadiabaig) January 31, 2017
Govt forced Karachiites to use outdated vehicles instead Of #uber & #careem taxi services . No way out for commuters to use these vehicles pic.twitter.com/6BUjKPMUsI
— Nisar Mehdi (@nisarmehdi) January 31, 2017
#Uber, #Careem not banned, will be regulated: chairman #Punjab IT board https://t.co/EcUB3W9PnD by #ARYNEWSOFFICIAL via @c0nvey
— ابیھا فاطمه (@abeehafatima202) January 31, 2017
#Careem#uber pic.twitter.com/9watPLiNwJ
— Bilal Shoukat (@bilalshoukat01) January 31, 2017
democracy was in danger due to #Careem that way @CMShehbaz labeled it illegal………….
— Muhammad Zulqarnain (@zulqarnainkhok2) January 31, 2017
We wanted a no ban on #Careem but got a no ban on Indian movies instead 😂🇵🇰
— Z. (@NurKhairDe) January 31, 2017
People are more worried about #Careem aur #Uber BAN rather than Muslim BAN by #Trump 😛
— NOMAN (@nomanzFever) January 31, 2017
#Careem n #uber provides services across the globe but only our govt finds it unsafe and malignant…. #hypocrisy
— N⚽man 🇵🇰 (@NomyPakistani) January 31, 2017
#Careem pic.twitter.com/bz4ZONCemq
— #Wafa_Jatoi (@SadamJatoi06) January 31, 2017
سہولت چھین لینے والے حکمرانوں شرم کرو ۔ ۔ ۔ کراچی جیسے میٹروپولیٹن سٹی کی عوام چنگ چی پر لگایا ہوا ہے۔#Careem #Uber#سہولت_شکن_سرکار
— Mirza Farhan Baig (@Farhanbaig58) January 31, 2017
R.I.P 😂😂#Careem#uber pic.twitter.com/AR96kXVzMq
— javeryah.. (@javeriaali590) January 31, 2017
#Careem#سہولت_شکن_سرکار I have fitness certificate pic.twitter.com/lVUx08yvMf
— #Wafa_Jatoi (@SadamJatoi06) January 31, 2017
Nawaz and Saeen sarkar be like
Band kardi #uber
Band kardi #CareemGhar per beth k khaao
Payee aur haleeem— Syed Ali Shan (@SyedAliShan_786) January 31, 2017
