KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced plans to buy 1,000 pink electric motorcycles (bikes) for women. The plan also includes getting double-decker buses and electric vehicles (EVs) for Karachi. This was shared by the CM’s spokesperson.
The pink motorcycles will help women move around more easily. They aim to support women’s independence, create job opportunities, challenge gender norms, and make travel safer.
During a cabinet meeting at the Chief Minister House, Shah made these decisions. The meeting also approved improving Keejhar Lake and the Kalri Baghar (KB) Feeder to supply water for the K-IV project.
The spokesperson, Rasheed Channa, said the Transport and Sindh Mass Transit Authority (T&MTD) will start a program to help women travel better with eco-friendly options. About 1,000 electric motorcycles will be given out through a fair process called balloting. This will cost Rs300 million, funded outside the regular budget.
To get a motorcycle, women must live in Sindh, be a student or worker, have a valid motorcycle license, and keep the bike for seven years. The process will be open and watched by the media.
The cabinet said more women around the world are choosing electric motorcycles. They are affordable, good for the environment, and easy to maintain.
ALSO READ | Sindh government initiates Highway patrol police for enhanced road safety
The Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) will buy the motorcycles through a fair bidding process. They will consider price and upkeep costs.
Separately, the SMTA plans to get 50 buses for Karachi. This includes 15 double-decker buses and 35 electric buses. The double-decker buses will run on Shahrea Faisal, with Rs3 billion set aside for this.
CM Shah also allowed Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) to set up a company to make anti-snake and anti-rabies vaccines. The meeting included ministers, advisors, and other officials.
Earlier this month, Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti announced a similar plan called the Pink Scooty and Electric Bikes Scheme for students, youth, and working women in his province.
Water and Power Updates for K-IV Project:
The Sindh government, working with the federal government, started the K-IV project to boost Karachi’s water supply by 1,200 cusecs, reaching 2,400 cusecs total.
In July 2023, a national committee approved the project’s budget of Rs39,942.559 million, split evenly between Sindh and the federal government. Since then, costs for materials and labor have gone up.
In 2023-24, the Irrigation Department asked for extra funds for eight ongoing items. No new projects were started except for the KB Feeder Upper Lining Project.
ALSO READ | Karachi: Gas Load Shedding Timings Released for Ramadan 2025
The Sindh Cabinet approved new rates in June 2024, but this doesn’t apply to past work. In November 2024, a steering committee agreed to update the budget and finish the project on time.
On December 16, 2024, a meeting discussed a revised budget of Rs50,989.328 million, up 27.65% from the original. The cabinet approved this change.
The cabinet also learned that a transmission line and a 132 kV grid station are needed for the K-IV project. This will cost Rs16.47 billion. The Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company (STDC) and Sindh Energy Holding Company Limited (SEHCL) will fund 20% (Rs3,295 million), while the rest (Rs13,179 million) will come from loans.
Earlier, Sindh CM announced the launch of the Laptop Program 2025 for the students of the province.
In his address at Arora University near Rohri, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced the launch of the Laptop Program for students across Sindh.
Murad said that we will also launch the Laptop Program for students; all the needs of the students of Sindh and Arora University will be fulfilled.
During the address of the Sindh CM Murad, a student brought a placard demanding a laptop on it. Murad Ali Shah announced that he would provide him with a laptop on his behalf.
