LAHORE: The Socialist government in France, with its clean image suffered a setback when the French Parliament kicked off a high profile public probe after press reports that Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac had an undeclared foreign bank account. France’s Interior Minister Manuel Valls and Finance Minister Pierre are also being grilled by the parliament.

This is how democracy works, where those seeking public office are required to declare all their assets, bank accounts, etc, held in their name, or in name of their immediate family members. It is inconceivable for any public office holder in a democracy to be accused of tax evasion, tax fraud, non-payment of electricity dues, smuggling, land grabbing, or involved in any illegal financial or immoral deeds. No elected individual, if caught, should be able to claim parliamentary breach of privilege to evade public scrutiny. Those who hold any elected or paid public office are expected to be judged on a higher moral yardstick than that applicable to ordinary citizens. If corruption is to be contained in this country, then the top paid bureaucracy and members of ruling elite have to be subjected to strict financial discipline and accountability, for the fish rots from the head. Strict regulatory controls are an important part of good governance and this can only be achieved if those assigned to handle such jobs have undivided loyalty to Pakistan, hold no foreign nationality, no conflicts of interest and subjected to thorough public scrutiny before holding such assignments.

Malik Tariq Ali

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

HASLEMERE, UK: To negotiate with a non-state entity, which itself is divided into various factions with different agendas — no education for girls, no international relations, etc. — will never work. The TTP were provided an opportunity in Swat, but the killing never stopped. Unfortunately, they neither practise, nor know what religion is. They are half-baked religious zealots — not unlike Al-Shabab of Somalia — and their main job is to kill anyone who does not agree with them and to enforce their own brand of Sharia.

Pakistanis, especially in rural Punjab, may be able to tolerate them for now, but will not be able to live with them. The decision by some to think that negotiating with the Taliban is possible will, in the end, come to haunt them.

Akhtar Ali Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

PRESTON, UK: This is in connection with Ejaz Haider’s article “Beware of negotiating with the TTP” carried in your newspaper on May 22. America, the superpower with an estimated 100,000 soldiers, Nato with a further 50,000 soldiers, plus the Afghan Army and police, the latest military and communications technology and billions and billions of dollars over 11 years have failed to defeat 30,000 Taliban fighters, who have very basic weapons and limited money. The lesson of the Soviet Union’s defeat at the hands of the Mujahideen and the negotiated exit after nine years wasn’t quite relevant for American arrogance.

Turkey, for the last 30 years, has been fighting the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party) without any result. Both the US and Turkey have resorted to negotiations, having suffered from years of military exhaustions. The US was defeated by the Vietcong with limited resources and asymmetric warfare. The lesson for Pakistan is fairly obvious, irrespective of the intricacies of negotiation theory presented in this article.

Riaz Ahmad

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

SAUDI ARABIA: This is apropos of Jennifer McKay’s article on May 22, “A peaceful revolution in South Waziristan”. It is the job of an elected government to educate people and bring them into the national stream. The people of South and North Waziristan have been ignored by the elected governments of Pakistan for the last 60 years and this is the reason they have been left behind in all walks of life, especially with regard to education. I hope the Pakistan Army, with the help of the Government of Pakistan, will continue its efforts to provide the deprived people of Waziristan with better health, education and infrastructure facilities. Things cannot change suddenly but one day, when these people become educated, they will become a productive and integral part of Pakistani society and will play their role in the development of Pakistan.

Naveed Alam Khattak

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

MULTAN: This is with reference to Muhammad Ziauddin’s article published on May 22, “Tigers don’t grow in begging bowls”. For too long, our economy and our Planning Commission have been allowed to be run by men who are on the payroll of international financial institutions, having no stakes in this country. Just look at the manner in which smuggled cars were allowed to be imported into this country. There is a powerful lobby in Pakistan which facilitates massive flight of the country’s capital.

Tariq Ali

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

QUETTA: The straightforwardness of The Express Tribune on a very important issue should be appreciated. The editorial “Balochistan government” brilliantly explained the mandate of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), which won the largest number of seats on May 11 across Balochistan. The editorial states: “As the single party with most seats, the PkMAP has every right to be given a chance to form government. This is clearly laid out under the Eighteenth Amendment.”

The said democratic, secular nationalist party has always been in the front line to combat the undemocratic ways practised during dictatorial or semi-dictatorial regimes. The party has been the first one to condemn any kind of undemocratic move, extremism, hate, racism, fascism, chauvinism, exploitation of people, gender inequality, ban on media and judiciary. The PkMAP’s Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai is well known as a man of principles. A look at all his parliamentary speeches clearly indicates his democratic, secular and national credentials.

Once again The Express Tribune’s quick response in its editorials to the nation’s political, social and cultural issues is much appreciated.

Malik Achakzai

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman is demanding chairmanship of the Kashmir Committee and a ministry as a condition for joining the government at the centre. What makes the JUI chief a suitable candidate for the job he is demanding? What has he done during his previous chairmanships of the said committee?

In my view, if the Maulana’s demand is acceded to, the Kashmir cause will suffer a setback because of his soft corner for militant extremists. The Maulana’s demand appears inexplicable. I hope he does not become a hurdle in the way of a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Now, why he aspires to become the defacto foreign minister of Pakistan is incomprehensible.

The quixotic strings the Maulana is attatching to his support for Nawaz Sharif reflect outdated politics of the past. The most astute political cleric of Pakistan, whose worldview is lopsided, should not create problems for our principled stand on Kashmir. I am not challenging his motives but his knowhow and experience of complex foreign policy issues are superficial at best.

BA Malik

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

SADIQABAD: This is with reference to Shahid Javed Burki’s article “Economic priorities” (May 20), in which he suggests that the government should take its time and prepare its own plan before going to the IMF. Given the bitterness of the prescriptions expected from the IMF, devising our own plan would be a natural choice.

Ironically, there is no difference of opinion between the IMF and Pakistani economists about governance issues in the power sector, untargeted subsidies, swelling public debt, performance of public sector enterprises, and other major issues faced by the economy. Therefore, it would help if he can advise on what the government’s own plan should essentially consist of, and what alternative channels may be used to tackle external payments in the meanwhile.

Usman Masood

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA: This is with reference to your editorial “Reaching new heights” (May 21). I think that this current week needs to be dedicated to several brave women, who are making history by breaking cultural taboos. On May 18, a 25-year-old graduate student from Jeddah, Raha Moharrak, became the first Saudi woman to reach the world’s highest peak Mount Everest. She scaled the peak from the Nepalese side of the mountain along with a group of 64 climbers, including Nepalese sherpa guides.

Just a day later, on May 19, a 21-year-old mountaineer from Shimshal Valley of Hunza, Samina Baig, became the first Pakistani woman to reach the top of Mount Everest. She was accompanied by her brother Mirza Ali. Samina has already got several feathers in her cap. She conquered the virgin peak Chashkin Sar in 2010, which is now called Samina Peak. She reached another virgin peak in 2011, which is now called ‘Koh-i-Brobar’— Mountain of Equality, a reference to her adventures that she has undertaken along with her brother.

It is sad that the Pakistani media failed to highlight this proud event on television channels as they were still busy covering the election and its aftermath. Perhaps, as a nation, we have misplaced priorities that leads us to ignore such historic milestones. Great job Samina. Perhaps, it is time to conquer the most dangerous peak in the world — K2.

Masood Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

JOHI: Akbar Jiskani Memorial Library in Johi, which is part of Dadu district, was established in 1999 by a few social activists of the town. The library has more than 10,000 books, magazines, periodicals, journals and newspapers. The library has been administered by a readers’ forum.

Due to lack of funds, it has of late been in severe crisis. The library does not have even basic facilities like provision of drinking water. Very shockingly, the building of the library is on the brink of collapse. Due to this sorry state of affairs, the readership of the library has been decreasing. The readers’ forum has time and again requested the district government, the deputy commissioner, as well as the MNA of the constituency where the library is located, i.e., NA-232, to take a look into the issue, but sadly, no one has given a positive response. Having no other way, the readers’ forum requests the authorities concerned, through this letter, to take notice of the situation and resolve the problems being faced by the library.

Sattar Kingrani

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.