Toil and trouble

Sir — The military establishment in Pakistan seems to be at loggerheads with the civilian government yet again. Tensions escalated after the prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, sacked the defence secretary, Khalid Naeem Lodhi, who is known to be close to the army chief, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani (“Crisis in Pakistan”, Jan 12). The country’s powerful army is reported to have warned Gilani that his criticism of the army and the Inter-Services Intelligence could have “grievous consequences” for the country.

The latest turn of events is unfortunate. The civilian government is already embattled as the prime minister is under fire from the judiciary for not having pursued the corruption cases against the president, Asif Ali Zardari. The army and the ISI work closely together. Some reports even suggest that the latter has a nexus with terror groups. It is a pity that the current political climate in Pakistan is not conducive to a civilian government. With the former president, Pervez Musharraf, declaring his intention to return to the country, Pakistan seems to be inching towards military rule again.

Yours faithfully,
N.R. Ramachandran, Chennai

Sir — The present crisis in Pakistan seems to have been precipitated by the former defence secretary’s assertion that the army and the ISI were not under the operational control of the civilian government. Yousaf Raza Gilani’s decision to dismiss the defence secretary without consulting the army or the ISI has angered them. In an interview with a Chinese newspaper, Gilani also called the army and the ISI’s affidavits on the Memogate scandal “unconstitutional”. The army must have felt doubly insulted because it was criticized before the Chinese media.

The situation in Pakistan is a serious one and could even topple the precariously balanced government or lead to a civil war. The former cricketer, Imran Khan, has also joined the fray as a contender for power. He has been criticizing the government for its flawed policies and corruption for some time now. Khan is a strong personality and a well-known figure in Pakistan. Perhaps he will bat for his country once again.

Yours faithfully,
Benu Kumar Bose, Calcutta

Sir — There can be little doubt that Pervez Musharraf is an opportunist, with a history of putting down all opposition when in power. It is difficult to see him as a politician who could steer his country towards greater stability. With the Memogate scandal threatening to bring about the collapse of the present government in Pakistan, the country will soon see political realignments and may even go in for early elections. Musharraf seems keen to use this opportunity to make a second bid for power, declaring himself open to an alliance between his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League and Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf.

It is surprising that someone like Khan could entertain such an idea. He has been vocal in his intentions to bring radical change as well as clean and effective governance to Pakistan. Entering into an alliance with the unpopular Musharraf would immediately sow seeds of distrust among voters. Moreover, the new vice-chairman of Khan’s party, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has also served as the country’s minister of foreign affairs. Qureshi is remembered for his acerbic remarks on India during his stint as foreign minister. Having such controversial defectors on his side bodes ill for Khan’s political prospects.

Yours faithfully,
Pachu Menon, Margao, Goa

Cruel natures

Sir — In her article, “A natural cruelty” (Jan 9), Bhaswati Chakravorty points to a “relish in prurience” that is ingrained in society. This makes “the broad concept of ‘violence against women’ look almost simplistic”. Indeed, the observation of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women has turned into a farce.

To begin with, the police are hypocritical and often sympathetic to the offenders. It is also sad that women crusaders, who are part of non-governmental organizations, are often not taken seriously by centres of social and political power. The gender inequality that begins in the family has bled into every area of a male-dominated society.

Yours faithfully,
Govinda Bakshi, Budge Budge

Sir — Cruelty has deep roots in our society. A large number of girls die even before they have reached the age of six. Cases of female foeticide occur in thousands. Perhaps it is time for another Rammohan Roy or Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar to fight for the rights of the girl child.

Yours faithfully,
Mukul Ranjan Chakraborty, Calcutta