ISLAMABAD – Student travel on the roofs of passenger buses in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi due to unavailability of any proper transport arrangement for them.

A large number of students coming from suburbs of city to their respective schools and colleges have to confront with jostling in packed public transport, besides misbehaviour of the drivers and conductors.
Rayan Asif a student told this agency that the school and college buses ply
only on specific routes and he always uses local transport to reach his college. He said this is one of the major problems for all those who come from far-off areas.
Raza Qasim Another student complained that majority of the local transporters do not stop their vans when they see students waiting. Majority of the Institutions have not enough buses to provide pick and drop facility to all the students enrolled in the morning and evening classes. Due to absence of proper transport system, the local transporters always over-load vans while students not allowed to travel or they forced to travel on rooftop.
Parents said “we can’t afford pick and drop service so our kids travel on local transport to reach their schools and colleges. Students waiting for bus on Islamabad Highway said that transporters avoid picking them from stop and this is routine of them. They said that there is no option for them except to travel on rooftop of vehicles, which is also very risky.
Local transporters said that the students do not pay fares so they are not responsible for their transportation and their parents and schools should arrange transport for them. They said that it is difficult for them to facilitate a large number of students, so they only allow them to travel on rooftop.