Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday disclosed that provincial police and intelligence agencies have thwarted a significant plot orchestrated by “enemy countries,” which involved luring a young girl to carry out an attack on civilians.
In a statement, he stated that the operation was backed by foreign funding and urged parents to monitor their children”s activities, warning against “false narratives” spread through social media to exploit the nation”s youth.
The minister’s comments were made during an inauguration ceremony organised by the Sindh Transport Department to officially connect the Orange Line and Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services. Mr Memon, who also holds the portfolio for Information, Transport and Mass Transit, launched the integrated route which establishes a direct link from Orangi to Numaish.
This integration addresses long-standing commuter complaints regarding transfer difficulties and the need to pay two separate fares. Authorities have confirmed that the entire journey can now be completed on a single ticket, a development anticipated to benefit one hundred thousand travellers daily.
During the event, Mr Memon noted a substantial increase in public transport usage, with the Green Line”s ridership growing from 55,000 to approximately 80,000 during the tenure of the current federal government. He highlighted that fares have been kept minimal and that the vehicles are equipped with security cameras and other modern facilities.
Further enhancements to the city’s transport network were also announced. The minister revealed plans to operate separate buses for women on both the Green and Orange Lines. Additionally, he declared the launch of double-decker buses, scheduled to begin service from the following day as a “New Year gift,” initially operating on a route from Malir to Shahrah-e-Faisal, with more to be introduced later. The arrival of new electric vehicle (EV) buses was also confirmed.
In response to media questions, the senior minister renewed a request to the Prime Minister to fulfil a promise of providing 150 buses for Karachi. He also issued a stern warning that no one would be permitted to illegally occupy government land.
Addressing rising societal intolerance, Mr Memon condemned recent incidents of violence, such as a killing over a social media argument, stating that weak arguments should not lead to aggression. He asserted that personal disputes must not be misconstrued as tribal conflicts and that the law will take its due course in all such cases.
The inauguration was attended by several officials, including Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, PIDSL CEO Hayat Bajwa, and Sindh Mass Transit Authority MD Kanwal Nizam Bhutto, who briefed the minister on the project details.