Rising pickpocketing irks BRT passengers

With looters targeting phones and purses of women, victims are tormented by the loss of valuable items

PESHAWAR:

The BRT, or Bus Rapid Transit, was hailed by the provincial government as a significant step towards urban development in the northern province. In recent times, however, the public transport service has made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Inayah, a medical student from Akbar Pura in Nowshera, shared that she traveled daily to the Hayatabad Medical College through the BRT bus. One day, upon reaching college, she discovered that her mobile phone had disappeared from her purse. Apart from worrying about losing contact with her family, Inayah was also concerned about her personal photos being misused against her.

She called her father from a friend's number and informed him about the missing phone. Her father accompanied her to the West Police Station and lodged a report, but even after two months, no progress has been made. "The constant fear of my photos being leaked continues to haunt me, leading to continuous mental stress," expressed Inayah.

Soon after, another incident took place with a missionary school teacher, Sindheela Shehzad in Hayatabad. Two weeks after her mobile was stolen in the BRT, her family remains disturbed. Shehzad Bhatti, her husband believed that although the BRT was an excellent public transport service, women's mobiles and purses were being stolen despite the presence of cameras inside the buses.

"Our entire family is upset because the phone contained pictures of our daughters. This incident has caused us significant mental anguish," complained Bhatti. Similarly, Asif Khan, a resident of Dilazak Road, Peshawar, told The Express Tribune that two months ago, his sister-in-law was on the BRT bus when a woman stole her mobile phone. Despite multiple visits to the police station, there has been no progress so far towards recovery.

According to BRT officials, approximately 350,000 passengers travel on the BRT daily, including around 100,000 women. Sources have revealed that 10 to 12 cases of mobile or purse theft occur every single day. However, since most women avoid police stations due to cultural barriers, around 80 per cent of these incidents go unreported. As a result, crimes against women in BRT buses continue to rise.

Reportedly, when the Peshawar BRT bus service was first launched, the administration had promised a safe and comfortable travel experience, especially for women. However, in the bus service initiated during Pervez Khattak's tenure, security arrangements remain extremely inadequate. The establishment of a separate police station for the BRT also never materialized beyond official paperwork.

According to data provided by Peshawar Police, from 2022 to 2025, 107 cases of mobile phones and purses being snatched from women on BRT buses have been formally registered. These FIRs were filed across 14 police stations located along the BRT route. However, more than 40 per cent of BRT-related crimes are only documented in daily station diaries and not registered as formal FIRs.

Peshawar Superintendent of Police (SP) Cantt, Aitraz Khan, confirmed that male criminals deployed women for these thefts. "Last year, 17 female gangs involved in BRT thefts were arrested. Such women often disguise themselves as students, wear burqas, or pose as ordinary female passengers. They commit thefts in the women's section, taking advantage of the crowded environment," revealed Khan.

Speaking on the matter, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar, Dr Mian Saeed reiterated that efforts were underway to ensure the deployment of technical and monitoring teams at the main BRT terminal and major stations. "This will help identify gangs immediately after an incident and enable rapid arrests using CCTV footage from inside the buses," said Dr Saeed.