The e-bus service in Rawalpindi will be operational next year, aiming to address the commuting challenges faced by citizens. There will be six routes, including one from Taxila, Wah Cantt, IJ Principal Road to Chongi No 26, and another connecting Daultala with Rawalpindi. Maintenance work on Metro Bus tracks will be carried out from June to December this year, as disclosed by Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan during a press conference on Thursday.
He mentioned that he has been regularly visiting Rawalpindi under special instructions from Chief Minister Mariyam Nawaz Sharif to address transportation and traffic management issues in the city. Consultations with national and provincial assembly members are ongoing, and suggestions from local MNAs and MPAs are being reviewed for route planning.
The minister criticized the previous government for not investing in the Metro Bus service, which was introduced eight to nine years ago, and announced that repair work on the Metro Bus tracks will commence in June and be completed by December. He emphasized that the successful Metro Bus service has disproved negative propaganda against the PML-N, noting that millions of citizens currently use the service. Without the Metro Bus, road conditions would have deteriorated, he added.
Highlighting key initiatives by the Punjab government, the minister noted that the chief minister added 32 new field hospitals within 100 days, providing free treatment to approximately 35,000 people daily. He also mentioned actions against harassment complaints and the e-bikes project, which will provide 20,000 students with motorbikes in interest-free, two-year installments. All 7,500 female applicants will receive e-bikes. The digitization of government institutions and the doorstep delivery of vehicle certificates under the Dastak project were also highlighted, with a fee of Rs900, including an Rs100 token fee by the Government of Punjab.
The minister refuted claims of political victimization, emphasizing that they do not engage in vandalism. He dismissed opposition claims of election theft as outdated and criticized the previous government for causing inflation by breaching the IMF agreement in 2022. However, he assured that the current government plans to reduce electricity and gas prices in consultation with the IMF.
