A young developer, Abdullah Qaisar, has surprised many by revealing that the government is spending millions on an app he already built and launched for free. His creation, the Safar app, provides a sleek, reliable guide for metro and feeder buses in Islamabad—something official authorities have yet to deliver.
How It All Began
Earlier this year, when the Capital Development Authority (CDA) launched electric feeder buses in Islamabad, Qaisar noticed a glaring gap. One of the routes passed right outside his home, yet no proper route maps or schedules were available.
“I saw the buses almost daily,” Qaisar told TechJuice in an exclusive interview, “but I had no idea of their route or schedule. All I saw was the end station listed.”
Searching online brought no luck. Outdated maps and makeshift solutions in Facebook groups and forums showed thousands of people struggling with the same issue. That frustration gave Qaisar the spark to build Safar, a smart route-planning app for commuters.
Praise From Commuters
Since its launch, Safar has been well-received by the community. Users on Reddit praised the initiative:
- “I saved your browser link to my home page the first time you uploaded it… We all thought it was so cool, thanks for the help!”
- “It’s a great public service you’re doing, bro. If it were paid, I wouldn’t hesitate to pay—not just because the app quality is good, but because you deserve to earn from your work.”
Safar App Features
Launched in March as a web app, and now expanding to Android, Safar is loaded with commuter-friendly tools:
- Intelligent route planning for metro and feeder buses
- Real-time station locator
- Interactive network maps covering Red, Blue, Orange, Green, and Feeder lines
- Fare calculator to estimate travel costs
- Schedules and stop information
- Complete privacy with zero data collection
To make the app visually clear and easy to use, Qaisar teamed up with Faizan Khattak, a cartographer whose maps were already circulating in transport groups.
“Since 2022, I’ve wanted to see a functional public transport app for Islamabad–Rawalpindi. When I learned Abdullah was building one, I was excited to join. I’m honored to contribute to the city’s first-ever route planner,” Khattak shared on LinkedIn.
Why It Matters
Qaisar envisions Safar as the go-to transport guide across Pakistan, starting with expansions to Lahore and Karachi.
“I collected all route data myself for Islamabad,” he explained. “It’s a constant effort, but with support from authorities, scaling to other cities would be much faster.”
So far, no government official or agency has reached out to Safar’s developers, even as the project continues to grow organically.
The app is already used by 15,000+ people and has mapped over 25,000 routes. While available on Android and as a web app, an iOS version is currently in development.
Tech Behind the App
Qaisar built Safar using modern tools including Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Vercel, Google Cloud Platform, Cursor, and Claude. Despite its professional-grade functionality, it remains a volunteer-driven civic project, contrasting sharply with the government’s multi-million rupee investments in similar platforms.
A Civic Tech Story
The Safar app is more than a transport tool—it’s an example of how civic need and individual innovation can combine to create meaningful change. For commuters, it provides clarity and comfort. For Pakistan’s tech community, it stands as proof that even simple frustrations can spark impactful solutions.
As Qaisar summed up, the project shows that innovation doesn’t always need big budgets—sometimes it just takes determination and a problem worth solving.
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