Ghani inaugurates Pink Buses service for women

M. Bilal Baseer Abbasi

ABBOTTABAD: To ensure safe and hassle-free journey exclusively for women travelers, the Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani on Tuesday launched the Pink Bus service in Abbottabad. According to the details, Pink buses have been inaugurated in Abbottabad also providing facilities for handicapped women. The driver of the bus will be a male, but the conductors were females. In addition, the ticket is affordable as it only costs Rupees twenty.

Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani said public from Abbottabad in past were more concerned and overprotective for the safety of their loved ones especially women and children, adding that the ride is offering a safe and comfortable experience for women. He added that the “only benefit” would be that for 20 rupees females can enjoy a ride in an air-conditioned bus in the height of summer.

He further said that the Pink Bus in Abbottabad is set to remove barriers for women by empowering them with reasonable monetary benefits. It was informed by Trans Peshawar Board officials that 7 Pink buses were donated by the Japanese government and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) adding that the service will be available from morning till 10 pm.

Each bus is said to have a seating capacity of 40 passengers while facilities for standing travelers have also been made. Additional security and safety measures have also been provided within the bus, the official added. They further explained the facilities that within the bus which include first aid kits for emergencies as well as special bus controls for safety measures. Provincial Assembly Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Commissioner Hazara Division Syed Zaheer Ul Islam, District Government Nazim Abbottabad, Colonel R Shabbir, Deputy Commissioner Abbottabad Amer Afaq Members Provincial Assembly Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Maliha Ali Asghar Khan, Momina Basit, Nazim Tehsil Government Abbottabad Ishaq Zakria as well as leaders of various political parties and general public especially women were among those who attended the inauguration.