This refers to the column “Droning on — how Obama earns his Nobel” by Aijaz Z. Syed. We may love to blame Barack Obama and his predecessors for what is going on in Pakistan but doesn’t it seem strange that everyone except the Pakistani leadership is worried about what is happening to its own people?
Granted that Obama is a major disappointment and by this time the world at large, too, has come to terms with that. Obama is not the promised messiah we wanted him to be; he is just another US president who has furthered the already hawkish American policies and ensured their continuation. In doing so, he has also further cemented Israel’s position as a threat to the peace and security of the Middle East.
Without giving it a penny’s worth of thought, one can safely assume that whoever comes after Obama will carry on in his footsteps because that is the agenda. The question is: Why do countries like Pakistan continue to be fooled into having their people killed under the guise of terrorism, Al-Qaeda or whatever scare it is?
I am certain that if Pakistani authorities came down upon the US with an iron hand, their troops would return home. Interestingly enough, people are getting killed not by real soldiers but pilotless drones, which cannot see or feel humans; they only target what is assumed as the enemy; and this enemy could be innocent children, ordinary men and women eking out a living from their besieged territories or just people going about their daily lives. America or any other superpower should not be under the spotlight but it is the governments of such beleaguered countries who should be in the dock for not protecting their people. Invaders draw strength from the weakness of a people. In this case, it is the Pakistani government. If the Pakistani establishment cannot save its people, believe me, there is no force on earth that will.
Ozma Siddiqui
Jeddah
Heatstroke and water
This is in response to the report “Warning! Heatstroke” (April 30). As a matter of fact, heatstroke is a hyperthermia, in which body temperature rises abruptly. And if it is not treated in time, it may be a fatal. One must try to cool off the victim and give him the proper treatment. Apart from this, one must drink plenty of water even he or she does feel thirsty. Chances of heatstroke are very high when there is a less quantity of water in the body. One should not take heatstroke lightly as it may lead to heart attack also, so going out in the sunlight and working in jam-packed places may induce heatstroke. Heatstroke may produce symptoms of nausea, vomiting, weakness, muscle cramps, dizziness, headache, high body temperature, rapid pulse, hallucination, strange behavior, etc. Due to lot of sweating, water and salts from our bodies get washed off, and in order to replenish it we need to drink plenty of water.
Anees Lokhande
Alkhobar
Operation in Lyari
The recent failed operation against criminals in Lyari, Karachi, has raised many questions in everyone’s mind. Despite one-week-long siege and loss of 27 lives security forces are still not able to clear Lyari from gangsters and kill or capture any wanted criminals. Lyari operation was started without any planning. Lyari is situated in the heart of Karachi. Thick and narrow roads do not allow armored police vehicles to move freely. Due to heavy fighting, 1.5 million population had been besieged in their homes and spent one week without electricity, water and sanitation facilities. Although Interior Minister Rehman Malik linked all events to Taleban and criminal elements but the reality is that Peoples Peace Committee which is claimed to be the main cause of the operation in Layari is government-backed group. Layari is a stronghold of Pakistan’s ruling party (PPP) and in last 40 years, no political parity has been able to defeat any PPP candidate.
Khawaja Umer Farooq
Jeddah
