ABOTTOBAD: (Hamdullah) The Member of Provincial Assembly from PML-N, Amina Sardar, has submitted an attention note in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly regarding the return of pink buses provided with the support of the Japanese government for women in Abbottabad.
According to MPA Amina Sardar, in 2018, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was given pink buses to facilitate safe travel for women, which were provided as a gift by the Japanese government through the United Nations agency UNOPS. These buses were announced to be operated in Mardan and Abbottabad so that women could get dignified and safe travel facilities. However, this service could continue only for a limited period and was later stopped without any clear explanation. In the current situation, it is not known where the said pink buses are currently located, whether they are idle in a depot or are being used for some other purpose.
This issue was raised in the House by MPA Amina Sardar, Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, in the context of transparency and accountability.
She demanded that the government provide complete details regarding the Pink Bus project, including the current condition of the buses, their location and the reasons for the suspension of the service.
MPA said that the Suzuki vehicles were used on local routes in Abbottabad city, where women face difficulty in travelling safely. Pink buses were suddenly discontinued after being started due to strong public demand.
Similarly, the Deputy Commissioner of the district, Captain (retd) Sarmad Saleem Akram, had hinted at running buses in Abbottabad a few weeks ago, which was well received by the public. Like other big cities, a green bus service should be started in Abbottabad, and a token system for Suzuki vehicles was launched during the tenure of former DPO Ashfaq Anwar, which helped in stopping the import of Suzuki vehicles from Abbottabad.
She said there was an urgent need to restore the bus service for women’s safe travel in the city.
Abbottabad is famous across the country for its educated people and natural beauty, but it has been caught in a whirlpool of problems due to administrative shortcomings and the arbitrariness of the influential class. Citizens have also appreciated the efforts of MPA Amna Sardar and have urged her to immediately start a green bus service and a token system for Suzuki vehicles in Abbottabad.
