I find a contradiction in the need to fight terrorists and yet reduce the defence budget.
DUBAI: This is with reference to Mohsin Hamid’s article of June 4 titled “Silencing Pakistan”. I would like to quote a line from the article: “When a speeding train is hurtling down the wrong track towards a cliff, optimism lies in the hope that passengers will raise an alarm in time for a conductor to pull the brake.”
But what if the passengers on the train long for the afterlife and desire to be free of this material world? Isn’t it the case that the passengers on the train that the writer is speaking of could have a very different world view?
I totally agree with the suggestion on tax reforms but find a contradiction in the need to fight terrorists yet reduce the defence budget, unless the implication is that resources should be reallocated to enhancing the quality and numbers of local police.
Arif Qadri
Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2011.
