There are two lead news in your esteemed paper (8 July). The first of them is about the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen accusing the Pakistan government of sanctioning the murder of Saleem Shahzad. A very senior person like Admiral Mullen making this type of statement at a time when Pak-US relations are already on a downhill slide is very damaging for the country. The second news item is more disturbing when the chief architect of Pakistan’s nuclear program claims that North Korea paid bribes to senior military officials in return of nuclear secrets including former COAS Gen Jahangir Karamat and Lt Gen (r) Zulfiqar Khan (both have denied these allegations). This statement is tantamount to verifying the claims of the West that Pakistan can not safeguard its nuclear assets.
The timing of these two news items has certainly been very helpful to our enemies who are all out to destabilise the state. Our media instead of protecting national interests without verifying the contents of the news has jumped to conclusion and started debate only to help the negative forces. There are certain things which fall in the category of official secrets and these have to be guarded fully but here we feel pride in disclosing state secrets without bothering about its consequences.
We are running short of time and an all out effort is required collectively to understand the ground realities and dangers surrounding our country. Let us now bring an end to hostilities against armed forces and stop ridiculing them any more as it will serve no good to anybody but ultimately will weaken the state.
Lt Col (Retd) MUKHTAR AHMED BUTT
Karachi
