THIS refers to the article ‘A mean streak’ (July 13) by Irfan Husain. Among other things, the writer, obviously referring to Nawaz Sharif, says ‘To deprive an ailing 70-year-old of decent food is nasty.”

True. But then depriving millions of Pakistanis of all ages of even the basic meals is nastier. That is exactly what Nawaz Sharif and his likes have been doing while amassing billions of dollars in illegitimate assets through corruption. So, why this selective concern for Nawaz Sharif?

Surprisingly, two US-influenced political parties, corrupt to the core, taking turns to exploit and plunder the country, seem to be the writer’s idea of democracy in Pakistan.

He is terribly upset over their defeat at elections, which, for no good reason, he seems to believe is engineered. Then he laments that the two are unable to unite and overturn the present government, which has come through a general election and is trying to recover the looted wealth.

For a man of his age and supposed standing, and one who has the benefit of exposure to the ‘enlightened’ West, this surprising preference of ‘form’ over ‘substance’ is shocking indeed.

Or perhaps it is not surprising at all. After all, some ‘enlightened’ Western countries do much the same showing great concern over violation of human rights in certain cases but seeing nothing wrong in invading countries like Iraq, Syria and Libya and causing the deaths of millions of innocent men, women and children.

Syed Riaz
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2019