LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that 100 more electric buses will leave China for Pakistan by tonight.
In a post on social media platform X, she said the buses are being loaded at Yantai Port in China and are expected to depart later tonight. These buses will be sent to districts that have not had an organised public transport system before. The areas include Mianwali, Okara, Nankana Sahib, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Pakpattan, and Dera Ghazi Khan.
According to the chief minister, the fare for the new service will be only Rs20. The modern, environment-friendly buses will be air-conditioned, offer free Wi-Fi, and have a fully automated ticketing system. They will also be designed to make travel easier for people with disabilities. Maryam Nawaz said the service will provide safe, comfortable, and respectable transport to the people of Punjab.
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Smaller districts of Punjab have faced decades of problems due to the lack of a regular public transport system, while big cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan already have metro services and modern buses. In districts such as Bahawalnagar, Attock, D.G. Khan, and Gujrat, residents have long relied on old wagons and rickshaws.
Earlier in June 2025, the Punjab government announced plans to provide uniform transport facilities across the province. The Punjab Transport Department was directed to purchase 1,100 electric buses instead of the previously planned 500. Initially, the first phase was meant to cover only Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Bahawalpur. However, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz decided to expand the plan to include smaller cities.
Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan said the chief minister believes all citizens, whether in large or small cities, deserve equal access to quality public transport. He added that separate bus depots and infrastructure will be developed for these areas and that electric buses will start operating in different cities by December this year.
