KP Approves Free Electric Scooters for Women in Peshawar
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved a scheme to provide free electric scooters to female students and working women, with Peshawar selected for the programme's first phase. The initiative was approved during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who directed the relevant authorities to move ahead with implementation.
The programme is intended to improve mobility for women who regularly travel to educational institutions and workplaces in the provincial capital. According to the provincial government, Peshawar will serve as the initial location for the scheme before it is gradually extended to eligible women in other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the electric scooters would help make daily commuting safer and more convenient for female students and working women. Transportation can be a major practical challenge for people travelling between residential areas, universities, colleges, offices and commercial centres, and the government is presenting the scooter initiative as a mobility-focused response.
The provincial administration has also linked the programme to its environmental objectives. Afridi said encouraging electric transportation could contribute to efforts to reduce air pollution by promoting cleaner modes of travel. Electric scooters produce no direct exhaust emissions during operation, making their wider use relevant to provincial efforts aimed at expanding lower-emission transport options.
The approval represents the beginning of the scheme rather than its full province-wide rollout. Officials have been instructed to take immediate steps to put the programme into action in Peshawar. Details regarding the implementation process, including how eligible recipients will be selected and when distribution will begin, are expected to become clearer as the responsible departments proceed with the plan.
The decision could have particular significance for women whose education or employment requires frequent travel across Peshawar. Easier access to personal transportation may provide greater flexibility in daily commuting while reducing dependence on other transport options. The programme also places women's mobility alongside environmental considerations in the provincial government's policy agenda.
Peshawar's initial rollout will provide the government with an opportunity to assess how the programme operates before expanding it elsewhere. Authorities have already indicated that the initiative is intended to reach women in other districts after the first phase. The next steps will therefore focus on implementation in the provincial capital, followed by decisions on expansion based on the government's rollout plan.