THIS is apropos of Major (r) Kamran Shafi's article 'Defining strategic depth' (Jan 19) in which the writer has propounded a very absurd and strange concept of strategic depth for Pakistan.

The writer has conceptualised that in case of an Indian attack, Pakistani forces can withdraw into Afghanistan and from there regroup and counter-attack Indian forces occupying Pakistan.

Notwithstanding that the retired officer of Pakistan Army has not been exposed to our higher institutions of military learning like the Command and Staff College or National Defence College, such preposterous, quixotic and naivety surprises his old compatriots of the army.

The writer has tried to hypothesise that Pakistan's whole military strategy rests on support likely to be rendered to it by its 'strategic assets' (sic) Jalaluddin Haqqani in Afghanistan.

How bizarre, nightmarish and ludicrous this fantasy churned out by the pen of the retired major must be for our operational planners one can well imagine.

While one can understand Kamran Shafi's ignorance on such weighty subjects like 'strategic depth', he should at least concentrate on his syntax and prose - language such as 'What poppycock is this', 'backyard yahoos' and ad nauseam repetition of 'Rommels and Guderians'.

As one his old friends, may I request Kamran for a bit of free 'refresher course' on 'strategic depth', back at the NDC, should he desire any enlightenment on this subject.

BRIG (r) ALI JAVED
Rawalpindi