People of Karachi to see double-decker buses this year, says Sharjeel

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has announced that the provincial government will expand the People’s Bus Service to more districts and introduce 500 additional electric buses to improve public transport across Sindh.

During a visit to the Operations Command and Control Centre of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority on Monday, he inspected various sections of the facility and was briefed by officials about its functions.

Speaking to the media, the minister, who also holds the portfolio of information, transport and mass transit, said the centre was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and monitored the People’s Bus Service, and Green Line and Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.

He said the aim of such initiatives was to make public travel safer and more convenient. “The Green Line Bus Service was originally a federal project. When the Sindh government took over, daily ridership rose from 55,000 to 83,000 passengers due to our efforts,” he claimed, adding that the Green Line BRT now benefitted more than 30,000 additional commuters.

Memon said Pakistan’s first electric bus service was also monitored from the centre. The People’s Bus Service currently operated in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad, the transport minister said. “We plan to launch the service in three or four more districts this year,” he announced.

Memon said more EV buses and routes would soon be introduced, and Karachi residents would also see double-decker buses this year. He said the transport department’s priority was to provide quality travel facilities to all citizens. “The Sindh government is providing subsidies to every passenger. [Pakistan Peoples Party] Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, President Asif Ali Zardari, the chief minister, and the cabinet are all working to make travel more affordable and accessible,” he said, announcing the launch of 500 additional EV buses for Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities.

Highlighting Sindh’s women-focused initiatives, Memon claimed that the province introduced Pakistan’s first women-only Pink Bus Service, which was also the first of its kind in the region. “Similar services will soon be launched in other cities,” he said, adding that the government was also distributing free EV scooters to working women and students with valid driving licences and proof of employment or enrolment.

He urged women to obtain driving licences, noting that the Sindh government offered free training and licensing. Applications for it could be submitted at iWorkforSindh.com, which also listed job opportunities in both government and private sectors, the minister added.

He said the government’s transport initiatives were designed not only to empower women but also to reduce emissions. “We are soon starting an EV taxi service and a Pink Taxi Service for women,” he said, adding that the latter would be driven by female drivers to ensure safety of female passengers.

Responding to media questions, he said work was under way to repair rain-damaged roads and address problem routes. He said delays in some transport projects were due to earlier fluctuations in the dollar rate and rising construction costs, which had now been resolved. “The most critical section of the Yellow Line BRT, the Senator Taj Haider Bridge, has been completed and will soon open to the public. Two phases of Shahrah-e-Bhutto have also been finished, and the rest will follow shortly,” he said.

On the pink scooty programme, Memon reiterated that all employed women and students across Sindh with a valid licence would be provided free pink scooters. Discussing agricultural concerns, he said President Zardari had always prioritised the farmers’ welfare. “Due to IMF restrictions, the wheat support price was not fixed, and now we are forced to import wheat, costing billions in foreign exchange. If we don’t support our farmers, they will stop growing wheat,” he said.

He demanded that the wheat price be set at Rs4,200 per 40kg and a quota fixed to ensure domestic production. “When President Asif Ali Zardari took office in 2008, Pakistan became a wheat exporter. Why can’t we give our farmers the same subsidies that other countries do?” Memon asked.

On the issue of illegal immigrants, he said no one residing in Pakistan without proper documents would be allowed to stay. “The global principle is clear: when you enter a country, you do so with a visa and leave when it expires,” he added.