Women on Balochistan highways face hardship due to lack of roadside washrooms

ISLAMABAD: A report has highlighted the absence of usable roadside washrooms for women travelling on major highways in Balochistan, particularly on routes linking Gwadar, Turbat, Quetta, Karachi and Taftan.

Buses travelling between Gwadar and Turbat stop at makeshift roadside facilities where male passengers can get off and use the toilet or move into nearby bushes, while women often remain seated inside. Many women manage their water intake before starting their journey to avoid needing a restroom on the way.

The piece said the drive from Gwadar to Turbat takes about two hours, while the journey onward to Karachi can stretch to eight hours. Balochistan’s road network includes Motorway 8 from Ratodero to Gwadar, the N-10 along the Makran coast, the N-25 RCD Highway connecting Quetta and Karachi, and the N-40 running from Quetta toward Taftan near the Iranian border.

These highways are often presented as symbols of connectivity, trade and development for a province that has long remained politically and geographically distant from the rest of the country, but the lack of basic facilities such as washrooms remains a problem for women travellers.