Daily Times

For women there seem to be precious few occasions that are cause for celebration in Pakistan but rarely we come across flashes of news that promise a silver lining for women, especially those who venture out of their homes to be part of the country’s economic and social activity. The launch of the Pink Rickshaw service by a non-profit organisation, the Environment Protection Fund, is a breath of candy coloured fresh air for the girls and women of Lahore as it allows them an avenue of public transportation that is safe from the prying eyes and molesting hands of the many uncouth and ill-behaved men one meets on daily routes to work and study. The Pink Rickshaw vehicles are to be solely driven by female drivers and are covered on all sides to give female passengers complete comfort and peace on their daily commute. So far, the scheme is the venture of this passionate and socially responsible organisation, which is looking for donors to help increase the number of Pink Rickshaws on the roads. According to reports, the government has not so far offered to pitch in. One wonders why, considering the penchant the PML-N provincial government has for any and all projects related to roads and public transportation schemes. Maybe female commuters do not figure much on Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif’s priority agenda.

Life has never been easy for women who wish to enter the professional arena in Pakistan. From the moment they set foot outside their homes they need to wrestle not just for competitive salaries and job opportunities, but also for some self-respect and dignity. The fact remains that when a woman has the ‘courage’ (or is forced) to use public transport she is ogled, groped and, at times, abducted and raped by frustrated men in our society, many of whom are the very drivers of these public transportation vehicles. No wonder there are women who are hesitant to become economic agents in our society; it just is not safe.
Since news first seeped out of the launch of the Pink Rickshaw service, it has fast become a symbol in the minds of many women, otherwise deprived of empowerment, both socially and professionally. The fact that the government in Punjab is refusing to notice the interest it is generating is a slap in the face of all those who wish to see women progress. There are too many obstacles to a woman’s ability to become a prominent and productive member of the economic agenda. Mega projects like the Metro Bus and the many flyovers and underpasses, while helping people move around, do precious little for women. Maybe now is the time for the Punjab government to act; investing in the Pink Rickshaw is the perfect opportunity. *