PTI leader mocks Centre, Punjab govt after BRT Peshawar gets recognition

The bus transit project secured its spot among the finalists of the Prize for Cities award

A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader on Thursday felicitated Peshawar's bus rapid transit (BRT) for being named among the finalists of the Prize for Cities award, while mocking a 'lack' of such recognition for the metro bus service in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Multan.

"Funny how it's Peshawar BRT gaining all the awards. Not Lahore, Pindi or Multan," Finance Minister K-P Taimur Khan Jhagra said on Twitter in a thinly veiled jibe at the Centre and the Punjab government.

Funny how it's Peshawar BRT gaining all the awards. Not Lahore, Pindi or Multan. https://t.co/OJOBUurhgX

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) June 30, 2022

Earlier today, the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) also took to Twitter to highlight the nomination, saying the selection is made for the projects that have made positive changes in the lives of the masses, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

ورلڈ ریسورس انسٹیٹیوٹ نے پرائز فار سیٹیز ایوارڈ کیلئے زو پشاور کا انتخاب 5 فائنلسٹ منصوبوں میں کیا گیا ہے۔ اس ایوارڈ کیلئے ایسے منصوبوں کا انتخاب کیا جاتا ہے۔ جو اپنے شہریوں کی زندگیوں میں مثبت تبدیلی لانے کا باعث بنے ہوں خصوصا= کووڈ 19 کے دوران۔ pic.twitter.com/uAM3EvX6w2

— Government of KP (@GovernmentKP) June 30, 2022

The provincial government added that the project had brought a significant change in terms of convenient commute in the lives of women, children, elderly and transgender citizens.

زو پشاور روزگار تک محفوظ رسائی، تعلیم و صحت، خصوصا= عورتوں، بچوں، بزرگوں، ٹرانسجینڈرز اور معذور افراد کی زندگیوں میں نمایاں مثبت تبدیلی کا ذریعہ بنی ہے۔

— Government of KP (@GovernmentKP) June 30, 2022

The forum selects the finalists for their "innovative approaches to responding to uncertainty, disruption and crisis show how to live and thrive in turbulent times".

The WRI describes the aforesaid prize as the "premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change, saying it "seeks to inspire urban change-makers across the globe by elevating trailblazing initiatives and telling impactful stories of sustainable urban transformation."

Just IN: Peshawar's BRT nominated for top 5 most inclusive public transport programs in the world.

— South Asia Index (@SouthAsiaIndex) June 30, 2022

In February, the BRT Peshawar was awarded the Gold Standard Service award for providing passenger-oriented, environment-friendly facilities to the public.

Among others, the Asian Development Bank had hailed ZuPeshawar – operator of the BRT system – on receiving the international award, saying Peshawar had become the first city in the subcontinent, third in Asia and 11th globally to receive the Gold Standard.