Lahore Launches Pakistani First With New 'Metro Bus' System

Pakistani authorities have launched a new "Metro Bus" system in the city of Lahore -- the first major urban public transportation scheme in the country.

The $300 million project was completed in collaboration with the Turkish company Al-Buraq.

It is meant to transport up to 12,000 passengers an hour along a 29-kilometer route that links Lahore's suburbs to the city center.

Thousands of people lined the road on February 10 as Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag traveled the entire the 27-station route, which was decorated with Turkish and Pakistani flags.

Commuters in Pakistan's other major cities who don't have their own cars rely on an ad hoc network of privately-run buses, minibuses, taxis, and motorized rickshaws to get around.

Based on reporting by AFP and GeoTV