PRESERVING CULTURE: This refers to the letter ‘The force of culture’ (June 28). Culturally, Afghanistan is far away from the rest of the world. But using military, financial or political power by foreign elements against the Afghans on this account is clearly cruel, inhuman and, above all, against the much-trumpeted notion of human rights. The fact is human progress in material matters has left a massive gap among different parts of the world. We would do well not to decimate one culture because it doesn’t fit the norms of some other culture.

Furqan Khan Khattak
Islamabad

POLITICIANS NEVER LEARN: This is with reference to the editorial ‘Political machinations’ (July 22), which made the apt remark that “politicians never learn”. Regardless of the uncertain situation, either economic or political, that the country is going through, the politicians, no matter which party they belong to, merely bargain for their own interests and let the people and the country continuously suffer. Economic development of a nation solely depends on a politically viable atmosphere.

Noman Waheed
Mansehra

HIGHER EDUCATION: After the 18th amendment, Punjab and Sindh established their own provincial higher education commissions, but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has failed to follow the lead in the province. Recent protests, led by staff of several universities, have also not been able to convince the provincial machinery to realise the gravity of the situation.

M. Salman
Peshawar

RIGHTS, NOT BANANAS: A recent social media clip showed a leader of the ruling party in Sindh distributing bananas among the people in Hyderabad. I feel sorry for those who were dancing to catchy tunes on the occasion. It seems the people have no idea about self-respect and political awareness. Such a mindset needs to change. We, the people, need our rights, not bananas. We must learn, unlearn and relearn from our mistakes, and only then we can hope to have a sincere leadership.

Sajjad Hussain Cheehani
Agra, Sindh

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2022