THIS is apropos of R. Rehman's letter, 'Sindhi cap' (Dec 12), in which he contests that President Zardari, being the head of the state, should not wear Sindhi cap on foreign tours because he “represents the country as its president and not as a representative of a linguistic ethnic group.”

First, there is no constitutional bar on the dress code of the head of the state (the president) or the head of the government (the prime minister).

Secondly, Pakistan is a multi-ethnic and multi-culture federation whose people from Karakoram to Karachi speak different languages and follow different cultures.

Anyone among the ethnic groups can become president because the state belongs to all.

The Pakistan Resolution was moved by a leader from Bengal, the region which now is not part of the country, and seconded by Muslim League leaders from all over India representing different ethnic and cultural groups.

Members of the Sindh Assembly wearing Sindhi topis and ajraks had adopted accession to Pakistan resolution.

How broadminded were such leaders 70 years ago. I think no one among them had thought that in future there would be people in this country who would oppose any cultural and linguistic heritage of the country.

The manifestation of a schism within the federation by post-Pakistan leaders had already broken the country into two when Bengali was labelled as a regional language and opposed as national language.

Now people with the same mindset are raising questions about why the head of the state should wear a regional dress. Do they not think that Sindh belongs to Pakistan?

The head of the state in India, Giani Zail Singh, used to wear a turban worn only by two per cent Sikhs confined to a tiny region in the north of India.

The incumbent head of the government, Manmohan Singh, wears Sikh turban wherever he goes in the world. No one in India objects to his wearing the turban.

SATTAR ZANGEJO
Karachi

(II)

APROPOS of the letter 'Sindhi cap' (Dec 12), I would like to say that Sindhis are not an 'ethnic group' but a nation born out of 5,000 -year- long natural process of history, carrying one of the oldest and greatest civilisations humankind has ever seen.

Mr Rehman feels contented and comfortable when Pakistani leaders wear the dress of imperial powers (past and present) but cannot bear the sight of Sindhi attire.

If Sindhi, Punjabi, Pakhtoon and Baloch cultures do not make Pakistani culture, then wherefrom would Pakistani culture come?

ABDUL KHALIQUE
JUNEJO Karachi

(III)

MY question to the writer is Do you also believe that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh represents only the Sikh community worldwide in lieu of whole india?

The Sindhi cap is a matter of dignity and honour for the whole of Pakistan, which showed love towards Sindhi culture by celebrating it in a remarkable manner.

Besides, it is Sindh that has generated the highest revenue not for any specific province but for the whole of Pakistan. We should respect every province's culture.

The Quaid-i-Azam said “None of us is Sindhi, Punjabi, Urdu, Baloch and Pakhtun. We all are Pakistani and we should think and act like a Pakistani”.

WAQQAS SOOMRO
Hyderabad