The federal government of Pakistan has introduced the Prime Minister’s Women on Wheels programme, a new effort aimed at empowering women and encouraging their active engagement in society.
Under this programme, a total of 22,000 women working in the government orange sector around the country, including employed women and students, would be able to purchase their own scooters and motorcycles at a reduced price.
This bold measure intends to provide women with greater mobility and independence, reducing their reliance on public transport.
Nilofar Bakhtiar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Poverty Alleviation, shared the news and emphasised that a budget of five billion rupees has been allotted for the program’s implementation.
The scooter distribution process will be transparent, assuring fairness and equal opportunities for all qualifying women.
The Women on Wheels project is slated to begin soon across the federation.
This programme is open to women between the ages of 18 and 55.
Nilofar Bakhtiar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights, also announced that each province will receive 4,000 scooters, with Islamabad receiving 4,100, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) receiving 1,000, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) receiving 1,000.
The programme will last three years and will enable a large number of women to become self-sufficient and mobile.
In terms of eligibility, Neelofar Bakhtiar stated that women earning between 30,000 and 1.5 lakh rupees are eligible to apply. Furthermore, the programme seeks to support working women, students, polio health workers, and female journalists, recognising their critical contributions to the country’s economic development.