MOTORBIKE BATTERIES: This is with reference to the article ‘The bike that could save billions’ (April 20), which portrayed electric bikes as an ideal solution. There are two factors that need to be addressed. Battery swapping has been proposed, but who will ensure that the two swapped batteries are of the same quality? Furthermore, a standard 200-amp lithium iron phosphate battery can cover approximately 160km and it costs around Rs250,000. This is, indeed, a high upfront cost and is unlikely to gain widespread acceptance. Other substitutes, such as lead-acid batteries, are cheaper but heavy, bulky and slow to charge. Solving the battery issue is, therefore, central to making electric bikes a practical solution.
Iqbal M. Nazar
Karachi
VANISHING BUTTERFLIES: Gone are the days when butterflies were seen hovering around Karachi owing to the city’s vibrant flowering plants and trees that made neighbourhoods pleasant places to live in. As the city has witnessed massive deforestation over time due to large-scale urbanisation, butterflies that used to share the open spaces with us have disappeared somewhere into our memories, and are no longer visible in our surroundings. They are rarely spotted, if at all. Lack of green patches, air pollution and environmental changes are some of the causes that have resulted in a decline in their population. If the authorities pay little heed to the matter, Karachi can once again become a place where nature thrives and butterflies spread colours around.
Imran Rafi
Karachi
RENAMING LOCALITIES: The government in Sindh should consider restoring pre-Partition names of roads and localities in Karachi and elsewhere. In this regard, the famous Karachi neighbourhood of Lalukhet may be a good starting point. It was renamed Liaquatabad in 1961. Lalukhet was named after a Sindhi landlord, Lal Muhammad alias Lalu, who owned farm and agricultural land. He used to live in Baran Goth on Muscat Road in the Garden East area near Lasbella Chowk.
Ghulam M. Baloch
Karachi
Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026