PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government transport has slapped ban on old school buses to ensure safety of students and cut environmental pollution.
The KP transport department said that school buses older than 20 years will no longer be allowed to ply on Peshawar’s roads. The transport department has issued a notification of ban on old vehicles and its owners have been directed to arrange new buses.
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The KP transport department Director Transport Fahad Ikram said the old engines are causing environmental pollution. He said the government has the responsibility to ensure safety and protect environment. The parents welcomed the ban on old school buses, however, the private school owners have warned to stop providing transportation service to students as they do not have resources to arrange brand new buses. But the provincial government has hinted at cracking down on old school buses after January 15.
The KP General Secretary, Private Education Network (PEN), Syed Anas Takrim Kakakhel said that providing transport facility to students is not the responsibility of private schools. Kakakhel said that they cannot afford the cost of modern buses as directed by the provincial transport department.
Earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker directed traffic police to ban music in vehicles providing transport services to students of public and private educational institutions. The Minister for culture and labour, Shaukat Yousafzai raised the issue on the floor of provincial assembly and said that educational institutions provide pick-up and drop-off facilities to students of public and private educational institutions.