NOT A WISE DECISION: The recent decision of Sindh and Punjab governments to provide free solar panels to poor households lacks economic justification. Power plants using local coal operate at approximately 64 per cent of capacity. Increasing their operation to 68pc could generate an additional one billion kWh without raising the per-unit cost of generation. This extra electricity could be, and should be, supplied free of cost to poor households, avoiding the need to spend valuable and depleting foreign exchange on importing solar panels.

Muhammad Akram Khan
Lahore

INCREASING REMITTANCES: This is with reference to the report ‘Exchange firms see $5bn inflow by end of Ramazan’ (March 3). The secretary-general of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) has remarked that exchange companies could double the remittances, provided the government offered more incentives to the remitters as well as the exchange companies. Based on my experience in dealing with remittances and audit, I am confident that the claim could be justified, provided the exchange companies are given the same playing field and the same incentive that the commercial banks are getting right now on each inward remittance of $100 or more.

K.M. Shafi
Karachi

DUMPER ACCIDENTS: The frequent and tragic accidents involving dumpers and heavy vehicles in Karachi continue to claim innocent lives. Despite repeated concerns raised by people and the media, the traffic police in the city remain largely negligent, except during VIP movements. Reckless driving, disregard for traffic signals and right of way, and unlicensed drivers operating vehicles with impunity have turned the city’s roads into death traps. It must be made mandatory for all dumpers to display company logos, contact numbers,and registration details. Besides, the government must enforce traffic laws and hold violators accountable.

Tariq Hasan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2025