Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon today called upon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to fulfill his commitment to provide buses for the province, while announcing a series of significant upgrades to the region”s public transportation, including new routes for the women-exclusive Pink Bus service.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Memon, who oversees the Information and Transport portfolios, stated that the Sindh government is consistently working to enhance travel facilities. He announced that the Pink BRT bus service for women has commenced operations on the Naxmi to Surjani route and will soon be extended to the Edhi Orange Line and Green Line corridors.
The minister revealed that the provincial government has also urged the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to introduce similar women-centric transit services in their respective provinces.
In addition to the Pink Bus expansion, Mr. Memon confirmed that double-decker buses are scheduled to arrive in Sindh next week and will initially operate on Shara-e-Faisal, with the possibility of expanding routes based on demand. He noted that new vehicles being introduced as pilot projects on various corridors have received positive public feedback.
The Transport Department is also preparing specialized bikes for children with disabilities, which will be distributed free of cost through a process managed by daily meetings. “Providing facilities to every segment of society is a shared responsibility,” he remarked.
On administrative matters, the senior minister reported that outstanding issues with the Asian Development Bank have been resolved. An open briefing on provincial transport projects will be convened in Karachi, with all political parties and stakeholders invited to attend.
Shifting to political discourse, Mr. Memon condemned the practice of targeting families in politics, describing personal attacks on family members as inappropriate. He referenced the arrest of Faryal Talpur in what he termed “false cases,” noting she was transferred from a hospital to jail on Chand Raat and emphasizing that women from all political parties deserve respect.
He also defended recent constitutional amendments, stating that criticism of them is unwarranted as they have been supported by major bar associations and have strengthened equality.
Mr. Memon highlighted other provincial initiatives, including providing free fertilizer to farmers to boost wheat cultivation and granting ownership rights of houses to two million women affected by floods, a policy he attributed to the vision of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He also mentioned the Benazir Income Support Program, initiated by President Asif Zardari, as a key measure for women”s economic independence.