ISLAMABAD: Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry has faced criticism on social media after opposing campaigns that encourage women to ride bikes.
Chaudhry made the remarks while responding to a BBC News Punjabi report about women increasingly using scooters and taking part in rallies promoting women’s mobility.
“Most of the girls are horrible drivers and must not be encouraged to use bikes,” Chaudhry wrote on X.
“This campaign is akin to putting their and others’ lives in danger,” he added.
His comments triggered a debate on social media about women’s mobility and road safety. Some users questioned the basis for his claim and asked whether he had any statistics to support it.
Others argued that road safety concerns should be addressed through proper driving education and training rather than discouraging women from riding motorcycles and scooters.
Former PTI colleague Maleeka Bokhari also criticised the remarks, describing them as “absurd” and “misogynistic”.
Journalist Alia Chughtai also responded to Chaudhry and urged him to “do better”.
Some social media users said women should receive better driving training if safety remains a concern. Others defended women’s use of scooters as a means of improving mobility and independence.
The BBC report that prompted Chaudhry’s comments highlighted the growing use of scooters by women in Punjab and their participation in scooter rallies aimed at promoting mobility.
Previous Remarks on Women in Police
The latest controversy comes three months after Chaudhry faced criticism over remarks about women joining the police force.
In June, he questioned why women were choosing policing as a career and wrote that most women were “completely useless as cops”. He also described policing as a poor career choice for women.
The comments prompted criticism from journalists and social media users, who questioned the basis for his assessment.
Chaudhry’s latest remarks have once again placed his comments about women at the centre of an online debate over mobility, employment and gender roles.
