Uber Shuts Down Operations in Five Major Cities

Uber Technologies on Tuesday announced that it is shutting down services in five major cities of Pakistan, including Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, and Peshawar on an immediate basis. However, the company has confirmed that it will continue providing its ride-hailing service in Lahore.

“We’ve made the decision to cease operating the Uber app in Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Islamabad,” the company said in a statement. “Uber remains committed to Pakistan – we will continue to serve these five cities with our subsidiary brand Careem and continue to operate the Uber app in Lahore.”

Uber said that it was a difficult time for the teams who have worked incredibly hard to build this business over the past few years and it appreciated everyone’s contributions towards the company’s growth.

The company added that it prioritized minimizing the impact on its employees, drivers and riders, who can use the Careem app in these five cities. However, the Uber app will continue to be available in Lahore with new product launches to support earners during these difficult times, the company said.

“We will communicate with riders and driver partners who use the Uber app in Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Islamabad about how they can use the Careem app in their city,” the company said. “When we acquired Careem, it was always our belief that the two companies could come together to complement each other’s strengths and better serve the region through tailored experiences.” it added.

The company also issued a separate notification to customers that read, “We have made the difficult decision to no longer offer the Uber services in Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan and Peshawar as of 11 October 2022.” It added that riders in these five cities looking to request a trip can do so by signing up to and using the Careem app.

Uber mentioned that “Careem might reach out to you to make your rides in those five cities a seamless experience.” However, these users have the option to opt out from having their information shared with Uber’s subsidiary, Careem, by filling out a form by 14 October 2022.

“For the past five years, we are grateful to have been part of your everyday life to help you move around those five cities using the Uber app,” the company stated. “See you in Lahore!”

Users from Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, and Peshawar, who are trying to access the Uber app are being greeted with a message, “Uber App is no longer available in your city,” and being pointed towards the Careem app in order to use the ride-hailing services provided by the company’s subsidiary.

However, some users from these five cities are still able to access the Uber app but upon entering the location, they app says, “Unfortunately, Uber is currently unavailable in your area,” with the request option being greyed out.

It is pertinent to mention that Uber isn’t the only company that has completely or partially shut down operations in Pakistan due to the economic crisis.

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