A HAZARDOUS ACTIVITY: This is with reference to the article ‘Basant, broken’ (Feb 13), which seems to be an epitaph on the ‘demise’ of Basant. We all know why this festival was discontinued. The colourful festivity actually killed innocent people. If Basant has been discontinued for valid reasons, why should one be so disturbed by it? The festival may have been stalled for the time being, but the kind of support it has from a particular segment of society, I am afraid, it is not ‘broken’ and will resume.

Safir Siddiqui
Karachi

LONG YEARS: Quite a few international organisations, including the Transparency International and the Asian Development Bank, have in the last few years ranked Pakistan negatively. This makes one wonder where we are headed. The government, after three long years in office, would do well to explain these international findings to the people. After all, the government never stops quoting The Economist which had ranked Pakistan among the best performing countries in terms of Covid management.

Tehreem Fatima
Lahore

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP: There are no permanent foes or permanent friends in politics. Shrewd politicians wait for the opportunity and grasp it when it comes their way. Flexibility and manoeuvrability are synonymous with political leadership. Those who did not see eye-to-eye at some point become allies at another point in time. This is how politics is done.

Shoaib Arif
Karachi

THE IDENTITY: One morning I was browsing through quotes and came across this one from Malala Yousafzai: “I don’t cover my face because I want to show my identity.” I was stunned. What about Muskan Khan, of India, who stood for her right to wear hijab? Isn’t she being recognised by everybody? What about Raffia Arshad, the first hijab-wearing judge in the United Kingdom? It is surely one’s achievements that make them stand tall, not their faces.

Nazia Abid Hussain
Nankana Sahib

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2022