KARACHI: The ground and road opposite the administration block of the University of Karachi was abuzz with activity on Thursday as female students were being taught bicycle riding if they didn’t know how to already. They were also being introduced to electric motorbikes or e-bikes, as they are known, provided by Vlektra.

The idea was the same for both the bicycles as well as the e-bikes. Both cause zero carbon emissions. Therefore, the youth of the country needs to be encouraged to move towards such modes of transport as well as promote and spread awareness about them.

Hosted by the Centre for Excellence for Women’s Studies, this project and campaign at the KU was held in collaboration with the ClimateAction Centre (CAC) and Vlektra.

Besides helping in protecting the environment, the event also offered a way to increase healthy physical activity, which cycling provides.

Vow to promote trend to ensure eco-friendly environment in country

Though it was the girl students who were at the front and centre of the event, there were some boys there also. But they seemed more interested in the e-bikes than the bicycles. Still there were a few who also rode bicycles. “It’s been a while since I rode a bicycle. I realise that it would be better for me and the entire world if I stop using transport, which runs on fuel,” Salman Ali, a third year student of the Geography Department, told Dawn.

The girls who didn’t know how to ride a bicycle were first trying their hand on the cycles. Many of them seemed immensely proud of themselves as they successfully learned how to ride them. Those who already knew how to were also teaching others. They also had test rides of the e-bikes.

Areeba Fatima Rao of the Department of Mass Communications said that she was looking forward to learning and was hopeful to learn in a couple of hours or even less. Rumaisa Ishaq from the Urdu Department was happily pedaling away as she was taught how to ride a bicycle by her elder brother, Mohammed Sohaib, when she was little. Midhat Zehra also knew how to ride bicycles from before and was there to teaching others. “No one taught me. I learned by myself. I must have fallen down many times while learning but still I didn’t get discouraged,” she said.

Javeria Faiz, coordinator with CAC, said that they have around 30 to 35 KU students who are interning with them. “We are exploring how to sustain the green environment along with looking at the impacts of environment degradation. Bicycling is also a part of our research. They are healthier and cost-effective, too,” she said.

“Around 24 per cent of carbon emission in Pakistan is due to motorcycles and 69 per cent of the transport system comprised them,” she shared.

“Initially we have a pilot project, which will see us donating some 50 bicycles to students here to promote zero carbon emissions within the university campus. The e-bikes are also a part of this,” she added.

She also shared that they first got 25 female students of whom only four could ride bicycles. “And by the end of the day, there were 21 others who could also ride,” she said.

Kabir Zaidi of Vlektra said that they specially brought their e-bikes to the female students of the university because he felt that they should know how it feels to ride an e-bike. “See, women already get fewer chances to ride bikes. So we thought this would be a good opportunity to let them have a feel of riding e-bikes,” he said. “It’s automatic, has no gears or clutch. So it offers a simple and easy ride, which is also good for the environment,” he added.

The hands-on experience enabled the students to understand the functionality, efficiency and eco-friendliness of bicycles as well as e-bikes.

KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi also said that cycling is a very good option for a person’s physical health, and added that by promoting the trend of cycling on campus, people can play their role in reducing environmental pollution as well as curtailing transport expenditures.

He also mentioned that one of the main reasons for the rapidly increasing cases of diabetes and heart disease in Pakistan is due to a lack of exercise culture.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2023