The Japanese government approved aid to start an exclusive bus service for female passengers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The request to the Japanese government for funding of the project was made in what seems to be the provincial government’s attempt to resolve severe commuting issues faced by female passengers due to the conservative Pashtun culture, a private news channel reported on Sunday.

The KP government will allocate 7 of the 13 buses to Peshawar, while 3 buses each will be allocated to Mardan and Abbottabad.

The authorities will consider the possibility of hiring female conductors for the service, which is yet to be named.

Only female passengers and children below the age of 12 will be allowed to travel on the bus service, which is likely to be named “Pink Buses”.

An official said that each bus would have 40 seats and approximately cost PKR 8.5 million. The service is likely to begin in August this year.