Riding Nightmares every-DAY
The working women in the urban cities of Pakistan who support their families use the local bus transport for the daily travelling since it is the cheapest option available. It might be cheap but it is hell scary for the women. And with them are female students who also can not afford the luxuries of a car with driver or taxi/rickshaw everyday.
Despite being allotted a separate compartment which is next to the driver seat and some part behind, the women are helpless. The physical and mental torture they go through everyday is no worse than a nightmare. The uncivilized driving of the bus driver, ignorance of the conductor to women complains and the stares from the male passengers is extremely annoying. Apart from this, loud and vulgar music through out the journey adds fuel to the fire. All women belonging to their respective families are sisters, daughters and mothers to someone, and for men who make their lives miserable should also understand the fact that even they have these relations in their family sitting at home or some other bus probably, because for me what goes around comes around.
In some cases, the male passengers use vulgar and abusive language sitting close to the female half of the bus which is highly unethical. On the other hand taking pictures of ladies sitting or standing in case where no seats are available, is a shame and a disgrace. Intentionally touching the grill is just an excuse to touch the bodies of the women. The women find them completely helpless when even the conductor does not listen to them and uses the female compartment to get to the male section when clearly there is an outside gate available.
This is too much. Some action has to be taken to protect the women who on the first place are on the bus because their lives are already troubled. There is an anti harassment act which is provided to help the women on registering the complaints. I am not sure how effectively it is being used but to my knowledge it is not working. Some major changes have to be brought in. Lets start with the female compartment which in my opinion should be at the back of the bus so the males who sit in front find it hard to turn their necks around all the time only to stare. The partition should not be see through. It has to be separated by steel sheets rather than steel bars to prevent the men to see each and every women and their actions and reactions on the mess they cause for them everyday. Lastly, more space to be allotted to the women even if they are not enough they should be given equal space because one never knows it might get crowded anytime and if it does, women should have a fair share.
As far as the major changes are concerned, I do not see that happening in Pakistan in the next 10 years but still i would like to propose. Separate buses for women, with women conductors and expert drivers with a competitive salary. It might rise some costs for the travelling women but i believe they will be ready to bear it since the opportunity cost which is the mental and physical torture is remarkably higher than some extra rupees. The infrastructure definitely requires massive changes. Building new roads and creating room for extra buses because the number of buses we have today are clearly not serving the large population we have. It requires time, effort, honesty and willingness by the people who run our country only then it can happen and i hope that day comes very soon. Amen