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Talks only hope for peace & stability

The article, “Why India needs to keep talking to Pakistan” (June 23) by Raj Chengappa, suggested a realistic approach for the restoration of normal relations between India and Pakistan. Despite provocations from Pakistani leaders, the process of dialogue between the two countries should continue. Surely, the people of Pakistan want peace and prosperity in their country too. India, being its powerful neighbour, should help Pakistan in every way.

The Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan are a step in the right direction for the establishment of peace in the region. There should be more people-to-people engagements, exchange of cultural ties, easing of visa restrictions and improvement in trade and commercial relations between the two countries.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh

The article, “Why India needs to keep talking to Pakistan” (June 23) by Raj Chengappa, summarises the expectations of the people of Pakistan at a time when the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan are holding talks to sort out the issues on which the two neighbours can agree and make progress forgetting the acrimony of the past.

However, the high expectations of the new generation of Pakistan get repeatedly thwarted by the mode of governance the country has had since its birth as a nation. G Parthasarathy’s article “Jihad, terror and extremism” (June 23) supports the perception that Jihad, terror and military seem to be an inseparable part of Pakistan’s governing apparatus. We in India find it difficult to define the governments in Pakistan to date. We wish that a separate word be coined for this. To us, it seems a mixture of oligarchy, theocracy, military rule and terror.

Er L R Sharma, Sundernagar (HP)

III

The article, “Why India needs to keep talking to Pakistan” (June 23) by Raj Chengappa, has convincingly brought out the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan. He says that Pakistan’s new generation wants to break free from the vicious cycle of violence. Terrorism has hit both the countries. There is only one way to resolve conflict between the two countries, and that is by engaging in dialogue. It is also encouraging that talks between the two countries, which were suspended after the 26/11 Mumbai attack in 2008, were restarted in February this year.

Pritam Bhullar, Chandigarh

This refers to the article, “Why India needs to keep talking to Pakistan” (June 23) by Raj Chengappa. The UPA government in particular and politicians in general, should understand that it is not enough to initiate talks merely at the level of leaders of both the countries. It is equally significant to initiate people-to-people contact. Hatred of partition, enmity of past wars and subversive activities by terrorists and imaginative fear of mistrust, should not be allowed to spoil India-Pakistan relations any further. Common people of both India and Pakistan want friendly relations, and restoration of peace and stability in the region.

Capt Amar Jeet Kumar, SAS Nagar

Focus on education

The article, “Some fast, all lo(o)se: From education to attempted suicides” (June 22) by B G Verghese, was thought-provoking. It is right that qualitative improvement rather than quantitative expansion is essential in every sector. But there is a real crisis here that the Knowledge Commission addressed. Speedy poverty alleviation demands high growth. But high growth will not be possible without a huge expansion in human resource development. Education system in India needs to be made competitive and innovative.

With the entry of new private universities, many unscrupulous and rich persons have also entered the education sector as entrepreneurs, and spawned a number of dubious medical, engineering and other institutions. For the progress of the nation, nothing is more important than education. So, education in India needs to be strengthened, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Meanwhile, it is unfortunate that there is a lack of mutual trust between the government and civil society activists on the anticipated Lokpal Bill.

Anju D Anand, Solan

Impose fine

This refers to the middle, “A lesson in frugality” (June 17) by M S Tandan. It is a lesson for us to learn in India. I have had opportunities to attend many social gatherings, where people leave unconsumed food in their bowl in an apparent bid to show they are rich. The words of the officer, who had imposed a fine on the erring guests in Hambourg, “Money is yours no doubt, but resources belong to society,” have left an indelible impression on me. We Indians should emulate this example and shed our extravagant ways in life.
The government should, by law, impose a heavy fine on those who waste precious resources of society. This will certainly help in changing the mindset of the people.
Tamanna Kaushal, Hoshiarpur

Secret fund

This refers to the news story, “PSEB chief’s secret fund grows 5 times in 2 years” (June 23). In this regard it is pertinent to mention that the secret fund has not grown five times in two years, as the story says.

The version given in the story is totally distorted and an incomplete one. I am sorry to state here that such news items do not contribute to the welfare of the society; rather they create chaos among students, their parents and the general public, with the impression that public funds are being misused.

Dr Dalbir Singh Dhillon, Chairman, Punjab School Education Board, Mohali