The Sindh government today announced a large-scale programme to provide five million free electric scooters to women, launching the initiative by distributing the first 300 units at a ceremony held on International Women’s Day.
Addressing the event, Sindh Senior Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, outlined that the Pink Scooty Programme is designed to empower women by alleviating their travel difficulties and eliminating petrol expenses.
He detailed that to qualify for a scooter, applicants will require a permanent driving licence and proof of education or employment. The minister confirmed that recommendations or political “slips” would not be necessary and that the government is also facilitating the process by providing free driving training for women.
Mr. Memon highlighted this as part of a broader effort to improve female mobility, referencing the existing Pink Bus Service which has also deployed women drivers, a facility he described as rare globally.
During his speech, the minister asserted that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has a long history of championing women’s rights. He credited former Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto with creating a “new history by empowering women,” proving they had the full potential to lead the nation.
He enumerated several initiatives introduced by the PPP, including the establishment of the First Women Bank, the first police station for women, the Lady Health Workers Programme, and the Benazir Income Support Programme, which he noted gained international recognition during President Asif Ali Zardari”s tenure.
The minister also mentioned more recent projects, stating that following the floods, 800,000 houses have been constructed with ownership rights conferred upon women, part of a plan announced by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to build 2.1 million homes.
Countering what he described as “continuous propaganda” against the provincial administration, Mr. Memon pointed to the Thar coal project as a historic achievement. He emphasised that women have been empowered in the region, noting that many of the dumper drivers involved in coal extraction are female.
The ceremony was attended by Provincial Ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, and Qasim Siraj Soomro; Deputy Mayor Karachi Salman Murad; and Secretary Transport Asad Zamin. Other speakers included Provincial Minister Shahina Sher Ali, Nafisa Shah, Sharmila Farooqui, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, and the Managing Director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority, Kanwal Nizam Bhutto.