IN his article, `Back to the future` (Nov 24), Ahmad Faruqi has devoted about half of the space to recounting the contents of a speech made by a former ambassador, Ahmad Kamal, in San Francisco recently.

The writer appears to be in almost complete concurrence with Mr Kamal`s views, except what he had observed about feudalism`s definition in relation to its expected role in Pakistan`s future. Thus, the ex-ambassador had, in the same context, remarked that a lot would depend on how India dealt with Pakistan and whether it would put an end to its history of expansionism.

Nobody who is sufficiently knowledgeable about the South Asian giant would disagree with this assessment. Even the Quaid-i-Azam had said that for there to be a good relationship between the two countries, India would have to give up its arrogance.

However, in his previous column titled, “Drafting Obama`s agenda” of Nov 10, Mr Faruqi had written

“The ISI has created an illusion to which many Pakistanis now subscribe, that India dreams of reabsorbing Pakistan and creating a greater India (the Akhand Bharat of antiquity). The vivisection performed by the Indians in 1971 continues to be presented in Pakistan`s military academies as evidence of India`s nefarious designs.”

This conclusion is in direct opposition to the views of both Mr Jinnah (partly implicitly) and Mr Kamal. Incidentally, a correspondent writing on Nov 26 (Letter RAW and `RAAM) has revealed that a new intelligence agency named `Riyasat-i-Amoor-o-Amanat-i-Milliyah” or RAAM, has been set up in Afghanistan, as a successor to its notorious premier agency KHAD, which had been disbanded when the mujahideen and then Taliban took over.

Ms Mufti says that it has not only been set up with the help of the Indian intelligence outfit RAW but a large number of RAW personnel and agents are working in it.

Thus, RAAM is effectively an extension and sub-wing of RAW. She further noted that Afghanistan, which is not a part of South Asia, has been included in Saarc, which justifies India`s designs to extend Akhand Bharat`s domain beyond Afghanistan.

The correspondent has stated that it is now an established fact that RAW and RAAM are actively involved in fuelling unrest in our tribal areas and a report of Oct 22 is cited as quoting three arrested Taliban militants as saying that RAW has been funding suicide attacks in Pakistan and has funnelled Rs680 million here via RAAM, for its nefarious activities.

It may be recalled that the former COAS Gen ( r ) Mirza Aslam Beg had also expressed similar views a few weeks back about the nexus between India, Afghanistan and the western coalition as well as Israel, all of whom are active in our region. Writers like Mr Faruqi must be careful and not downplay the threats to our existence, which can instill a false sense of security on this front and hurt the country badly.

K. NAQSHBANDI

Karachi