Women break free on two wheels

Affordable bikes, family support and improved policing help women travel more freely

ISLAMABAD:

The morning traffic is beginning to swell when a woman pulls down her helmet, grips the handlebar of her scooty and joins the stream of vehicles. It may look like an ordinary commute, but for many women, taking control of the handlebar represents something much bigger: independence.

For years, women travelling to schools, colleges, workplaces, markets and hospitals have often depended on fathers, brothers, husbands or hired drivers. Their journeys were shaped not only by distance but by someone else's availability. A missed ride could mean a missed class, delayed work or a cancelled errand.

That is changing as more women take to scooters and motorcycles. Two-wheelers offer affordable mobility while giving women control over their time and routines.

Alia, from Sialkot, said unnecessary attention remained one of the biggest challenges. "You constantly feel watched and stared at. It honestly feels like you are being observed and judged everywhere you go," she said.

For Rehana and Nighat, beauty experts, family encouragement helped them overcome their initial hesitation. Nighat said riding had made her daily routine considerably easier as she no longer had to wait for public transport or depend entirely on her husband. She can now travel independently and take her mother along when needed.

Yet greater mobility has also exposed women to harassment on the roads. Rabia Sajid, another scooter rider, said some men followed female riders, honked unnecessarily, overtook aggressively or made inappropriate comments. On occasions when she felt followed, she changed her route and avoided the road afterwards.

Such experiences highlight a crucial contradiction: women are encouraged to study, work and participate in society, yet some continue to face intimidation simply for travelling independently.

Government initiatives offering free, subsidised or interest-free scooters and electric bikes are helping remove one major barrier - affordability. But access to vehicles alone cannot guarantee freedom of movement.

ASI Azra of the Islamabad Traffic Police said protecting women on the capital's roads was a priority. She said women police personnel, increased patrolling and Safe City cameras were helping strengthen security. Women facing harassment or insecurity can seek assistance through police helplines 15 and 1815, she said.

Laher Mirza, a Victim Support Officer at the Tahaffuz Centre, Rawalpindi, said continued police monitoring and patrolling had improved women's confidence on the roads.