LAHORE: The Punjab government on Monday launched the first phase of the Chief Minister Transport Programme by handing over 19 buses to as many girls’ colleges in Punjab.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the programme under which total 76 buses would be given to as many girls colleges in the province in three phases.

She met students of different girls’ colleges, called them on the stage while inaugurating the transport programme and handed over keys of buses to the principals of 19 colleges.

She inspected the buses and also evaluated a proposal to provide air-conditioned buses to girls’ colleges.

Higher Education Department (HED) Secretary Dr Farrukh Naveed briefed the CM about the programme.

In the first phase of the programme, buses have been given to 19 college’s in as many tehsils, including Bhakkar, Sialkot, Chiniot, Kamalia, Hasilpur, Malakwal, Ferozewala, Shorkot, Jatoi, Fateh Jang, Hasan Abdal, Kot Momin, Jalalpur Pirwala, Kallar Syedan, Pindi Gheb, Minchanabad and Sharqpur.

In the second phase, the girl’s colleges of Nowshera Virkan, Dina, Yazman, Pindi Bhattian, Lalian, Bhawana, Kot Addu, Taxila, Sarai Alamgir and Pelaan will get buses. Allama Iqbal Town Lahore, Isa Khel, Raiwind and Sohawa girls colleges will also get buses by February 2025.

During the third phase, March-April 2025, two more buses and 32 coaches will be provided to 35 more tehsils.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information and Culture Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Minister for Higher and School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat and MPA Sania Ashiq accompanied the chief minister.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had issued directions to the Punjab government to equip all educational institutions of the province with transport facility.

The LHC had also stayed a government scheme of distributing motorbikes among the students, stressing the need for providing buses to schools and colleges instead.

The Punjab transport department secretary had also assured the court of providing buses for government employees and educational institutions.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024