Besides, the votaries of the tunnel idea, advocating even a breach of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, may give a thought to the proposed overland gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan with a treaty between the three for the security of the pipeline.

Wg Cdr C. L. SEHGAL (retd)
Jalandhar

Is it saviour?

The military in Pakistan is being projected as the saviour, believed to be the panacea for all political, economic and social ills. Therefore, its constant meddling in civilian life and subverting the constitution is considered in “supreme national interest”.

The huge military establishment is, in fact, at the very core of all shortcomings, apart from gobbling up a colossal chunk of the national budget, this “white elephant” has brought tremendous humiliation most of the time it has been called in to do its primary duty.

This large military apparatus is also infested with internal decay and corruption involving huge kickbacks — to the tune of several million dollars in shady defence deals. People are fast being disillusioned by its motive.

The newly-assumed duties are managing cricket (Commander, 8 corps at Mangla) and hockey (till recently by the Chief of the General Staff ).

The Pakistan Army is, in fact, performing all petty civilian functions. A three-star General, along with a team of Brigadiers, manages the country’s electric supply corporation (WAPDA).

The cold response at the UN Summit meted out to Pakistan shows where the country stands internationally.

Nadeem Khan
Lahore (Pakistan)

Row over diagnosis

Apropos of the recent news item regarding the IMA (Indian Medical Association) giving a clean chit to Apollo Hospital, and AIIMS still maintaining the authenticity of its diagnosis, even without understanding the medical jargon, as a layman, one can infer that Kumaramangalam was suffering from a type of cancer which later proved fatal.

Since the two hospitals had given different diagnoses, it seems a lapse occurred at some point. However, the medical community seems to hold the deceased responsible for such a condition. When the patient was not made aware of the seriousness of disease, it was difficult to expect him to visit the hospital frequently.

To err is human. The IMA would have displayed high standards of professional ethics if it had not shifted the responsibility to the patient.

Tejinder Sharma
Kurukshetra

Red-tapism

The article ‘Paying too much for too little’ by Mr J.L Gupta (September 19) is thought provoking. A clerk is the real power in the government. His note passes through 6 or 7 stages before a final nod from the minister and nobody dares to defy him. He has to be sounded in advance to get a favourable note, where the powers that be are interested to do a certain thing in a certain manner.

A simple letter written to the government by a common man becomes ‘PUC’ (Paper under consideration) and is transformed into a bulky file moving from the first stage to the last. The government is run through such notings. There are piles of files on the tables of every official right from an assistant to the minister.

The writer has gone very deep into all aspects of governance but persons at the helm of affairs hardly bother. There is lack of will and things are not likely to change in the near future.

Now that the Internet has come to stay, let us hope the top-heavy administration gives way to e-governance.