THIS is apropos of Irfan Husain’s article ‘There is life after divorce’ (Aug 20). As a Pakistani-Canadian living in Quebec for the last more than 35 years and having experienced two referendums for the separation of Quebec from Canada and also having seen the frustrating and humiliating surrender ceremony of the Pakistani military in December 1971, I fully agree with his following conclusion: “In this day and age, people cannot be held down by force indefinitely. Like the Quebecois and the Scots, the Baloch should be allowed to decide their own future”.

If Scots want to separate from Great Britain as a result of free and fair referendum, after about two years, the new government of Pakistan which comes into power in 2013, must also allow the Baloch to secede if they want to.

Perhaps acceptance of Baloch separation in an amicable manner will prove healthy and liberating to both the Baloch of Balochistan and the non-Baloch of Pakistan.

Geographical borders mean nothing.

The dismemberment of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and tearing down of the ‘Berlin Wall’ between East and West Germany are only a few recent examples of non-sacrosanctity of geographical borders.

JALALUDDIN S. HUSSAIN Canada