Only two seats reserved on public transport for women in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani women, who travel daily between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, are facing a lot of problems due to the lack of proper transport facilities.

The women travel by themselves in Suzuki pickups and Toyota Hiace vans, which usually have only two seats reserved for female passengers, so most have to stand at bus stops for hours for their turn to board public transport.

“I work at a call centre in Islamabad. Every day, I have to change two vans in order to reach my office. Most of the time I have to wait for a long time to get a seat in the van,” the News quoted Razia Alvi, a resident of Sadiqabad, as saying.

She said that buses are comparatively more suitable for female commuters, but currently no bus service is plying between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A few years back the Varan Tours started its bus service in twin cities.

“This service was quite beneficial for women as its buses had a separate section exclusively for them. However this service was closed down due to some reasons and female passengers were left with no option but to commute in vans and pickups,” she revealed.

Along with there not being proper seating, the women also have to withstand the unethical behaviour of drivers and conductors, who exchange foul words even in their presence.

Behaviour such as this makes people who are respectable feel uncomfortable to send their daughter or sister alone in public service vans. (ANI)