Sitting ducks

This refers to the article, ‘Sitting ducks’ (February 22) by Dr Farrukh Saleem. The writer has compared the government’s failure and the terrorists’ success.
The writer has rightly criticised the government for not implementing the National Action Plan. This failure is strengthening terrorists. The writer is right when he said: “A purely military solution to terrorism is no solution. Yes, a military component is an integral part of any counterterrorism strategy but the military alone will get us nowhere. What is missing is a civil component.” What happened during the recent visit of the PM to Sindh reflects how divided we stand to combat terrorism. What will happen if apex committee rule also fails to make an impact?
Lt-Col (r) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt
Karachi

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This refers to the article, ‘Sitting ducks’ (February 22) by Farrukh Saleem. The idea to run the affairs of the government through apex committees is alien to democracy. This shows two things: an elected government sans power and second, peoples’ representatives have no relevance.
Indirectly, it means that the elected government is ceding legislative power to committees that are actually run by experts and bureaucrats. It also means that people are incapable of electing those who can run government effectively. Due to an inept dispensation, the NAP is not going to be implemented in letter and spirit, as opined by the writer and we are vulnerable to more terrorist assaults in the absence of clear-cut priorities.
Ali Abbas
Chakwal