Punjab plans to expand free transport through private operators

Islamabad: The Punjab government is moving ahead with plans to widen free public transport services while also tightening enforcement of energy-saving measures, according to details shared after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

The meeting reviewed the effect of higher oil prices on transport fares and approved a set of steps intended to shield the public from increasing costs. Officials said free public transport services would be extended to 17 districts, with pilot projects cleared for Gujranwala, Multan and Sialkot.

According to officials, the programme is part of a wider effort to ease the impact of rising fuel prices on daily commuters, especially people from low- and middle-income households. Under the plan, as many as 1,000 buses will be brought in through private operators. These operators will be compensated on a per-kilometre basis under a performance-linked arrangement.

Officials said each bus will have to run between 100 and 200 kilometres a day, and payments will be limited to that range. They added that private operators will cover fuel, drivers and maintenance costs, while the government will reimburse them every week. Passengers using the service will not be charged any fare.

At the same time, the provincial government has prepared an initial framework for expanding free urban bus services across Punjab. Officials said routes will be selected on the basis of passenger demand and gaps in existing coverage.

Energy conservation drive continues

The transport initiative is being pursued alongside stricter implementation of energy conservation rules. In Lahore, district authorities sealed more than 60 shops and restaurants for breaching prescribed business hours as part of an ongoing campaign aimed at cutting electricity use.

Under the existing directives, markets must close by 8pm, while restaurants and wedding halls are required to shut by 10pm. Officials said the enforcement campaign would continue and described energy conservation as a national responsibility during the ongoing crisis.

The latest steps reflect the provincial administration’s effort to manage two competing pressures: maintaining economic activity while also enforcing austerity measures. Earlier proposals to impose further limits on business hours had faced resistance at the provincial level. However, local administrations have stepped up efforts to ensure compliance within the current rules.

The decisions come as the provincial government continues to roll out free transport services and pursue policies intended to reduce both household costs and energy consumption.