Pakistan launches women only Pink Buses in Abbottabad

Abbottabad becomes second city after Mardan in the province where women designated bus services has been launched.

The women bus project was initiated with the help of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in partnership with Transport and Mass Transit Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and with the financial support of the government of Japan.

The speaker termed the Pink buses a great initiative towards women empowerment. He said the provincial government has fulfilled its commitment by making the pink buses operational despite the fact that certain procedural hurdles were hampering the initiation.

Mushtaq Ghani stated the initiative of providing transport facility exclusively for women was part of the provincial government's policy and initiatives was taken for facilitation of women.

Thanking on behalf of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to UNOPS and Japan government, he said that project was the first of its kind not only in Pakistan but in entire South Asian region which would ensure provision of safe, economical, reliable and free of harassment transport facility to women.

The speaker said PTI government, both in the province and the center committed to protecting women rights and providing them employment opportunities. He told that a bill against domestic violence would also be tabled in the assembly in the near future.

Director UNOPS, Charles Chanan, Country Manager, Samita Khawar, MPAs Maleeha Ali Asghar, and Momina Basit, Chief Executive Officer of Trans Peshawar Project, Fayaz Khan and head of UNOPS Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zainab Khan spoke on the occasion.

Under the Pink bus service project 14 specially designed buses have been provided, seven each for Abbottabad and Mardan. In addition to the buses, 15 designated bus stops have also been set up on the designated routes within the city.
(with inputs APP)