Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
The EV scam
The Electronic Vehicle scam appears to be one of the biggest global scams of the 21st century. There is no such thing as a “zero emissions” car as of now. Here are some of the factors which are eye-opening and everyone needs to know. The most important component of an EV is the battery which requires Lithium, Cobalt, Graphite, Manganese and other minerals which need to be mined and processed. This mining and processing release a lot of carbon emissions.
An electric car associates its emissions with some far-off place owing to mining and processing. According to an estimate, EV battery manufacturing alone is responsible for 50% of the carbon emissions that a normal car would generate in its entire life. This means that a brand new EV has already produced 30,000 pounds of CO2. Now, most of the electricity being produced globally is based on natural gas or oil/coal-based power plants. If the electricity is coming from a coal-based plant, an EV would emit 9-12 ounces of CO2 as compared to 7.5-10 ounces of a conventional car. Even if the electricity is being produced from a green source, it requires around 150K kilometres for an EV to become less carbon emitting than a conventional car.
An EV “exports” the carbon emissions somewhere else. Around 500,000 pounds of material needs to be mined to produce a single 1000-pound battery, it takes 100 to 300 barrels of oil to make the battery that can hold 1 barrel of oil equivalent energy, and the list goes on. The plan in place to increase use of EVs will require more mining of these dangerous minerals which is another threat to environment as well. Moreover, the demand for these minerals will increase up to 4000% since there are not enough mineral resources in world to make enough batteries for that many people.
MUSA ABUBAKR
Islamabad
Flood-fuelled migration
IT is anticipated that by 2050 between 25 million to 1 billion people will migrate due to climate change. Hence, climate-fuelled displacement directly impacts urban life because most of the migrants move toward cities for better life. Sources say about 0.7 million people migrate annually from rural to urban areas in Pakistan owing to floods and droughts. Therefore, Pakistan has experienced large and small natural disasters since its inception, but 2022 rain-flood has been the worst natural calamity in the history of Pakistan which affected and damaged more than the Indian Ocean tsunami-2004, the Kashmir earthquake-2005, Haiti earthquake-2010 and even 2010 floods.
According to sources, Sindh has been the most affected province by the ‘’unprecedented climate change’’ of 2022 that received 243% more rains as compared to the normal level since 1961. Flood has impacted more than two million acres of which Sindh has the highest ratio of 1.54 million acres. In addition, about 3000km of roads and 145 bridges have either been severely damaged or destroyed. NDMA reported that 80 districts of the country have been declared as ‘calamity-hit’ including 23 districts of Sindh. Approximately, 896,000 houses have been destroyed, 386,039 houses have been under flood water and more than 135,710 households become IDPs in Sindh. Sources reveal that 54% of the urban population of Pakistan lives in ten big cities, however the remaining population of the country is living in 540 towns. We must have to facilitate these towns in the field of education, health, housing, and livelihood infrastructure to mitigate the migration of rural areas. To avert climate-fuelled migration, the government should have to invest in rural areas as well as provide essential services to flood-affected people.
ASADULLAH MAHESAR
Islamabad
Uncivilised & rude behaviour
Politics in Pakistan was never civil, to begin with, but the new plunges of provocative rhetoric, the rife culture of hatred and vile polarization still manage to take the nation by storm. However, looking at the knee-jerk defence of those shooting poisonous daggers by people from all walks of life, we, too, have become part and parcel of the same crowd. Because neither half-hearted condemnations nor platitudes from apologists can push the proverbial genie of uncivilised politics back into its bottle.
No matter how passionate a supporter one may be, encircling a female member of a sitting cabinet in a public space in a foreign land and heckling and harassing her with chants of “chor, chor” should be condemned in the strongest of terms by all quarters. Maryam Nawaz remained unfazed just as she had braved the shameful ridiculing at the holiest site in Islam, Masjid-e-Nabwi, back in April.
This rude behaviour is highly shameful and highly condemnable. Maryam Aurangzeb has definitely added to her stature by a heroic display of her thick skin and unconditional aplomb, her attackers, especially those of her gender, would soon be scampering for excuses. In their proudly recorded slanging match, not only have they threatened a single woman but also managed to drag the ideals of their country through the mud.
Do the notions of political allegiance only circumscribe pandering to a no-holds-barred denigration of the rival parties? More crucially, have we actually prepared our youths, our greatest asset, to charge forward and hold the baton or are we shamelessly fanning the flames of an inextinguishable partisanship?
It is undeniable fact that their leader, Imran Khan, is responsible for nurturing and promoting such type of extremely nefarious and antagonistic sentiments in their charged followers. This uncivilized behaviour must be discouraged otherwise the matter would become out of control of political party’s wise and prudent leadership.
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
