GUJAR KHAN: A tehsil-level green electric bus service was formally introduced in Gujar Khan on Monday.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resources Khawaja Manshaullah Butt and Provincial Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan as chief guests. Members of the National and Punjab assemblies, along with senior district officials, were also present.

Officials said the electric buses will operate on the route linking the Gujar Khan Bus Terminal with T-Chowk near Rawat on the Grand Trunk Road.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Butt said the project was launched to provide residents with comfortable, efficient and modern commuting facilities, adding that extending such services to the tehsil level reflected the government’s commitment to inclusive development.

He maintained that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had consistently pursued public welfare-oriented projects and credited the chief minister for initiating schemes such as Suthra Punjab, ration cards, the Green Bus Service and Sasta Sahulat Bazaars to drive provincial progress.

Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan said the new service embodied the chief minister’s vision of ensuring safe, reliable and high-quality public transport for the people of Gujar Khan.

He stated that 14 electric buses had been allocated for the route and that senior citizens, women and students would be able to travel free of cost.

He further highlighted the environmental and safety dimensions of the initiative, noting that the electric buses supported eco-friendly transport while enhancing passenger security, particularly for women, as each vehicle was fitted with seven surveillance cameras.

He added that the provincial government planned to induct 1,100 buses across Punjab during the current year, followed by another 1,500 next year.

Punjab Assembly member Raja Shaukat Aziz Bhatti and PML-N leader Javed Ikhlas welcomed the resumption of development initiatives in the area.

The event was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hassan Waqar Cheema, Assistant Commissioner Gujar Khan Khizar Zahoor Goraya, and a large gathering of local residents.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026